Winifred was born on 17 May 1917 to Thomas Hanger and Myfanwy Granville-Jones. She was one of five children and a younger sister to Eunice Hanger. Winifred enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts course with the University of Queensland in 1934, residing in the Women's College. During her time at UQ she was a member of the Dramatic Society, the Debating Society, the Students' Union Council, and played hockey for the University. She went on to obtain her Diploma of Education from the Teachers' Training College after which she returned to Gympie to teach. In the late 1930s, Winifred Hanger was engaged to Chester James Parker. At the outbreak of World War Two, Parker joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and he and Winifred exchanged letters and telegrams. Parker was a student from the University of Queensland and a Rhodes Scholar. He was serving as a Lieutenant on HMS Thorn, a submarine of the Royal Navy, on 6 August 1942 when she encountered Italian torpedo boat Pegaso. HMS Thorn failed to return from patrol and was presumed sunk by Pegaso. In 1950, Winifred married John Sparkes. They did not have any children. She died on 14 February 1983.

Eunice Hanger was born on 8 March 1911 in Mount Chalmers, Queensland. She was educated at the University of Queensland, earning a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English (1932) and a Master of Arts (1939). She joined the staff of the University of Queensland in 1955, and was a lecturer in the Department of English until her death in 1972. She edited several anthologies of Australian plays, and wrote numerous articles on Australian drama. She also acted in, produced and wrote many plays. She was active in the Twelfth Night Theatre. She also assembled a collection of unpublished Australian playscripts, now known as the Hanger Collection of Australian Playscripts.