Marion Lucile Davis was born on August 8, 1935 in Boston, Massachusetts to Walter M. Davis and Carolyn B. Thompson Davis. She attended Girls' Latin School (Boston, Massachusetts) from 1947-1952 and then went to Mount Holyoke College between 1952-1956 receiving a B.A. in zoology. In January 1957 she worked as a laboratory research assistant at Tufts University and in July of that year worked on a government project as a research assistant and technician in the university's Biology Department. She taught at Center School in Lynfield Center, Massachusetts September 1957-June 1959. Ulmer was a part time graduate student at Tufts University from 1957-1959 and completed a Master's Degree in Education. She married Willard George Ulmer and they had two children.