Elaine Galatz was born September 1, 1939 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and studied English at the University of Wisconsin. In 1961, she married Neil Galatz and moved to Arizona. After attending the University of Arizona and Arizona State University for graduate studies and her teaching certificate, Galatz moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and taught at J.E. Manch Elementary. When her husband opened his own law firm in the mid-1960s, she served as the office manager and bookkeeper.