OUIDA COREA was part of a large family of ten children, born in Chilaw. Her father was Gate Mudaliyar James Edward Corea, and her mother was Terentia Ameresekera, daughter of Conrad Ameresekera, a Proctor at Kurunegala. Her siblings were Letitia, Drayton, Melita, Audrey, Leslie, Ouida, Ariel, Aelian, Acland, Stanley and Edward.

Ouida Corea married Canon Ivan Corea in 1925. He was the son of Dr. J. A. E. Corea of Chilaw, and his first wife Letitia Seneviratne. They moved to Colombo, and Ivan became Vicar at St. Luke’s Church, Borella. Together, they rebuilt the Church, and Canon Corea made the new designs himself.  Ouida Corea played an important role in the development of St. Luke’s, and raised over Rs. 10,000 (then a tidy sum) for the Church. They also attended to the needs of the Rodiya (untouchables) community for nearly 20 years, providing them with food and shelter.

She was appointed an Honorary Lady Missionary by the Ceylon Missionary Society (C.M.S.) and also a member of the Diocesan Board of Missions. Ouida was also an Anglican Representative to the National Christian Council.

Ouida and Ivan had two sons: Vernon Corea, who worked as a broadcaster for SLBC and the BBC, London, and Ernest Corea, who was at one time, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States.

Her grand-daughter (Vernon Corea's daughter) was also named Ouida after her, and bears striking facial similarity to her paternal grandmother.