Frances Tucker is the daughter of W.C. Tucker, who edited the Columbus Enquirer newspaper, and Daisy Tucker, the newspaper's librarian in Columbus, Georgia. Frances graduated from Columbus High School where her interest in English and art developed. She was editor of the school newspaper and studied art during the summers with Edward Shorter. She attended and graduated from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where she was also on the school literary magazine and editor of the year book. She interned during summer months at the St. Petersburg Times and the Hartford Courant, learning the newspaper business. She was a debutant during the 1956/57 season. She received the Rotary Fellowship in1959 to study at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Her Masters in English Literature is from the University of Arkansas, where she also taught.