SSgt Signe McQuate was born in Manchester and later moved to Portsmouth, NH. After graduating from Portsmouth High School, Signe enlisted in the United States Air Force, where she served as a communications specialist. While serving in the Air Force, she met her husband, Raymond, at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. They lived in Elyria and Oberlin, Ohio, before moving the family back to Portsmouth, NH. Signe embarked on a career serving the City of Portsmouth in various capacities.