koivisto was born to a farmer's family in the western finnish municipality punkalaidun, in the satakunta region. after finishing the primary school, koivisto went to a high school in huittinen, where she graduated in 1949. koivisto entered the turku school of economics, and met her future husband in turku in december 1950. she was married to mauno koivisto on 22 june 1952. in 1953, koivisto graduated from the turku school of economics and worked as a teacher since 1954. in 1957, she became a housewife, when her daughter assi was born. assi was later voted into the electoral college during the 1982 presidential election.