Miss Winnifred Vera Quick was born in Plymouth, Devon on 23 January 1904, the daughter of Mr Frederick Charles Quick (Plasterer) and Jane Quick and sister to Phyllis May Quick. The family had emigrated to Detroit in about 1910 and she returned to Plymouth with her mother and sister early in 1912 for a visit to her mother's family. Their return to America was as second class passengers on the Titanic. She was aged 8 at the time.
They were rescued in lifeboat 11.
Winnie Quick dropped out of school and went to work for a chocolate factory, and later a bakery. At the age of 14 she met Alois Van Tongerloo (born April 24, 1899, died August 26, 1987) who was also an emigrant of 1912. They later married and had three sons and two daughters.