lillian lee mckim, nicknamed lilly, was born on november 10, 1931 in roslyn, new york. her father was robert v. mckim and her mother was lillian mckim (maiden name bostwick). she was the middle child, with an older sister named mary maude and younger sister named florence fitch. her mother, lillian, was an heir to the standard oil fortune. lillian divorced robert and married ogden phipps in 1937.