Lorin W. Roberts was born on June 28, 1923 to Lorin Cornelius and Irene Watson Roberts in Clarksdale, Missouri. He attended the Univeristy of Missouri and graduated with a degree in chemistry. Later Lorin additionally recieved his M.A. and Ph.D. in botany from the university. During World War II, he became a radio operator for the Army Air Force and was stationed in the Philippines.

After the war, Lorin taught at Agnes Scott College and Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1957 he moved to Idaho, and was a faculty member in the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Idaho until his retirement in 1991. He spent eight summers as a National Parks seasonal ranger, serving in Yosemite, Grand Tetons, and Olympic National Park. He married Florence Ruth Greathouse in 1967.

Florence Ruth Greathouse was born on October 20, 1927 to Clyde Lafayette Greathouse and Mary Frank Venable in Clarksburg, West Virginia. She attened Hendrix College and the University of Central Arkansas to study English. After graduating she taught high school Englisha nd French in Arkansas. Eventually Florence made her way to the University of Idaho where she met Lorin. Florence completed her master's in English from U of I in 1973. She spent a year working for Hartung Theater as the Publicity Director, and then taught for U of I for seventeen years. She retired in 1993.

Lorin died on April 16, 2017, and Florence died on July 18, 2019.