A native of Fayette County, Marian McQuade and her husband Joe are the parents of 15 children, 40 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Mrs. McQuade began a campaign in 1973 to set aside a day for grandparents, but her work with senior citizens dates back to 1956, beginning with the Past Eighty Party, originated by Jim Comstock, editor of the West Virginia Hillbilly, a well-known publication. She has worked in several states with seniors and in 1971 was elected Vice-Chairman of the West Virginia Committee on Aging and appointed as delegate to the White House Conference on Aging by Governor Arch A. Moore.

Hallmark Cards requested permission from Mrs. McQuade to publish specially designed greeting cards, which the founder described as "a very nice line." The firm volunteered a royalty to defray expenses, but the McQuades declined. "It would take away from the meaning," she said with great sincerity. "From the beginning I didn't want to make money, and I won't accept donations."