Urie was born in Huron County, near the village of Seaforth in Ontario, Canada, on 17 September 1903 (claimed 28 September). She grew up in Winthrop, a whistle-stop with only one gas station and a sawmill. She had a brother and a sister, and theirs was a farming family. After learning stenography and typing at business college, she found a job at the Ford Motor Company in Windsor, Ontario. It was there that she met James S. Urie III, her future husband, while playing tennis. She helped him secure a job at Ford as the office boy in the customs office, and eventually, he ascended to the position of vice-president in that department. The couple had two sons, James “Jim” and John.

At some point, she moved to Toronto, and then to Oakville in 1958. One night in 1966, the couple attended a skating show at Maple Leaf Gardens. Her husband suffered a fatal heart attack and passed away at the age of 59 during the performance. She lived in Manitoba for some time.

Her hobbies included gardening and tennis, a sport she had been passionate about since her youth. She volunteered at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital snack bar and later in its gift shop. She continued to contribute her time once a week, even at the age of 100. She also volunteered at the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, the local Red Cross and Maple Grove United Church. She was a skilled bridge player, later transitioning to euchre, and continued playing until the age of 107. Subsequently, she took up dominoes, but as her eyesight declined, it eventually became challenging for her.

On her 110th birthday, family and friends traveled from California, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and even Norway to join in the celebration. Five generations were present at the party. At the time, she had six grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. At the time, she was still lucid, walked with a walker, and although she didn’t see or hear too well, she still had a sense of humor. She neither drank nor smoked, and her son believed that the true secret to her longevity was her unwillingness to concede to the effects of aging. Even at 110, she enjoyed listening to country music and watching tennis, often sitting as close to the TV as possible to get a better view of the matches. Her favorite tennis players were John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, and Venus and Serena Williams.

Urie passed away at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, on 1 August 2014, at the age of 110 years, 318 days.