Jeannette Molson, a third generation Californian, was born in Oakland, California.  In 1941, she moved with her parents and brother from Berkeley to Woodland, Yolo County, California where she attended a one-room school down the road from where she lived.  Jeannette attended Sacramento State University for one year and then attended Sacramento Junior College where she earned an Associate of Arts Degree in 1958.  In 1981 she started a 16 year career working for the University of California, Davis.