Jeanne Delahanty was born on March 22, 1916 in Lewiston, Maine. She attended Lewiston High School and then went on to Georgian Court College where she graduated in 1937. Jeanne married Thomas Delahanty in 1942, also a resident of Lewiston. After their marriage, Tom briefly worked for the FBI in New York City before returning to Lewiston where he was appointed to the Maine Superior Court. Jeanne has been strongly connected to both Maine and national judicial politics for most of her life. She is the daughter of a United States District Court Judge, and the mother of a Maine Superior Court Justice. Throughout her life, Delahanty stayed active in the community of Lewiston serving on many boards and committees