Tess was born Teresita Bangsal Bautista. She immigrated to the United States from Pangasinan in the Philippines in 1975 after obtaining her nursing degree. She met and married her first husband, Stephen Dutton, in Athens, Georgia. They had two daughters together, Ingrid and Jessica. The family moved to Wisconsin where Tess and Steve later went their separate ways. Tess has remarried and is now a retired RN. She enjoys visiting her daughters and grandchildren.