Marian Covington was born in Great Falls, Montana, on July 26, 1901, the daughter of C.C. Covington and Minerva Carter Covington. She attended Augusta High School, graduating in June 1919. After high school she went to the Montana State Normal College in Dillon. After graduation she taught for a few years in different towns including Helena and Townsend. She enrolled at the University of Michigan in the 1920s, where she received her Bachelor of Science in mathematics. Ms. Covington went to Washington State College where she received her Masters degree, also in math. During World War II, she worked as a statistician at the War Relocation Center in Hunt, Idaho. In the 1950s, Marian was employed by the Montana MVA Association as a secretary. Marian Covington died January 30, 1988 in Helena. The MVA (Missouri Valley Authority) was started by President Truman in the 1950s to study the Missouri River Basin. The main objective of the Montana MVA Association was the full development of the vast potentialities of the region and the co-ordination of measures for flood control, irrigation, reclamation, navigation and soil conservation C.C. Covington, Marian's father, came to Montana in 1891. Marian's mother died in 1921. C.C. Covington had various occupations, including school teacher, surveyor, U.S. Commissioner and assessor. Marian had an older brother, Clay, who moved to California and became a pilot. Jerome Locke worked with Marian in the Montana MVA Association and was also a close friend of the family. Jerome was born on April 2, 1882 and died on July 7, 1954. Some of the positions he held included engineer and chairman of the Montana Industrial Accident Board. He would later become the executive secretary of the Montana MVA Association