Etta May Whittier was born as Etta May Rader in Arkansas. Her mother was Nancy M. McHone. Her Father was Henry H. Rader. She had two sisters, Margaret E. Spalding and Sophia I. Necomb and one brother, Oscar A. Rader.
Etta May married Mark C. Hambrook on July 11, 1913. Etta May and Mark had a daughter named Marian Fay Hambrook.
After Etta May and Mark Hambrook divorced, she remarried twice more: On June 20, 1918 to Clyde Arnold Trout and onJune 10, 1925 to Le Roy E. Whittier.
Etta May's daughter died as Marian Fay Wheeler in 1985.