Ora was born in Sunflower, MS on March 4, 1963 to Edna Earl Minton and the late Lee Wilson Minton. She had her first and only daughter Cynthia in 1979. Shortly after, Ora moved to Milwaukee, WI where she resided the rest of her life. She held several jobs including a school cook, security guard, and crossing guard. She departed from this life on Monday, February 9, 2015.