Rebecca Lee Skloot was born to Floyd Skloot and Betsy McCarthy in Springfield, Illinois. Skloot’s father, Floyd Skloot, achieved renown as an essayist, poet, and novelist.
In contrast, Betsy was an accomplished knitter and author of pattern books. Although Skloot was born into a Jewish-Middle Eastern Protestant family, she was raised as a devout Christian. Although little is known about her siblings, she does have a stepbrother by the name of Mathew Coale.
Rebecca Skloot completed her secondary education and earned a certificate from the Metropolitan Learning Center in Portland, Oregon, both of which were located in Springfield, Illinois, her place of birth.
She subsequently obtained employment as a veterinary technician after she graduates from Portland Community College.
She decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences at Colorado State University due to her early fascination with science. Rebecca Skloot was accepted to pursue a master’s degree in nonfiction writing at the University of Pittsburgh.
