Wanda Sue Caldwell was born on January 29, 1936, in Mason, Texas to W.C. (Pinkie) and Gladys Willmann. Sue graduated from Odessa High School in 1953, and attended Southwest Texas State in San Marcos. She married Bob Oates on February 5, 1959 in Odessa. She and Bob owned and operated Lamesa Tire and Battery for many years, until Bob passed away on November 3, 1968.