Anna Milne Mackie was born in East Newport in 1902, the daughter of William Ingles, master builder, and his wife Johanna Milne. She attended Newport School and Dundee High School where she was awarded the Harris Gold Medal. Mackie graduated from University College, Dundee with a Second Class Honours degree in mathematics in 1924. She trained as a teacher and taught for many years at Morgan Academy, Dundee where she was latterly Principal Teacher of Mathematics. Mackie died in Dundee Royal Infirmary, 19 December 1973.