Verla Aiken was born Verla Mae Blue on September 15, 1915 in Orosi, California. When she was a teenager her family relocated to Oakdale in Stanislaus County, California, where she attended Oakdale High and was an avid athlete, playing baseball and basketball. Verla attended college in Modesto (likely Modesto Junior College) and while it's not clear if she ever formally pursued art while at college or later in life, the one sculpture of hers that is known to the Annex suggests a keen eye for abstract design.

She married Maurice Mahon Aiken in 1942 and they lived in Modesto for the entirety of their lives, raising a family there. Their son Michael went on to become a professional dancer and choregrapher on Broadway. Verla was known in the Modesto community for her involvement in the Scouts and in the Parent Teacher Association. She died on August 8, 1995.