Mildred was born in West Superior, Wisconsin, the only child of Gustav Walfred Lager (a station engineer, who was born in Sweden) and Hilda Marie Erickson Lager (also born in Sweden). Gustav came to the United States in 1890 and Hilda in 1881. They were married on October 28, 1899 in Superior, Wisconsin.
On October 15, 1933 (in the depths of the Great Depression), she founded a health food store named The House of Better Living at 1207 West Sixth Saint, Los Angeles, California. This store issued a regular newsletter and catalog. A history of the life and work of Mildred Lager (78 pages, 153 references), with many original photographs, is now available online.
