Ina May Gaskin (1940– )
On 8 March 1940, Gaskin was born to Ruth Stinson and Talford Middleton in Marshalltown, Iowa. Gaskin was her parents’ second child, with an older brother and two younger sisters. Her grandmother ran an orphanage, so Gaskin grew up on farms and was surrounded by children at a young age. Her mother taught home economics, and her father was a farmer first but later became a salesman. Gaskin’s brother died in a gun accident when he was fifteen. In an interview, Gaskin said the accident taught her compassion and the importance of grieving after the loss of a loved one. Gaskin attended Marshalltown High School in Marshalltown, Iowa.
