Lynde Bradley Uihlein was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1945.[1] Her mother was Jane Bradley Pettit, a philanthropist.[1][2] Her maternal grandfather was Harry Lynde Bradley, co-founder of Allen-Bradley and the Bradley Foundation with her granduncle, Lynde Bradley.[2] Her father was David Vogel Uihlein Sr., heir to the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company.[1] Her paternal great-grandfather was August Uihlein.[3] Her brother is David Vogel Uihlein Jr., Vice Chairman of the Bradley Foundation.[1][4] She is a cousin of Uline founder Richard Uihlein and niece of General Binding Corporation founder Edgar Uihlein. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and a master's degree in social welfare, both from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.[2]
In 1990, Uihlein founded the Brico Fund, a non-profit grant-making organization initially focused on feminism, which expanded to include environmentalist and progressive projects in general, and focusing on the state of Wisconsin.[5] Brico Fund is also known as the Astor Street Foundation.[6]
Uihlein has supported EMILY's List and NARAL Pro-Choice America, and serves on the Boards of the League of Conservation Voters (both the non-profit and associated political 527 Action Fund),[7] and the Milwaukee Art Museum.[2] An environmentalist, she also supports Midwest Environmental Advocates, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Fondy Food Market, Growing Power, Walnut Way, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, and Wisconsin Wetlands Association.[2] She operates a community-supported agriculture project, the "Afterglow Farm", north of Milwaukee, including The Kitchen Table Project.[2] She has donated more than US$2.6 million to her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.[8]
She is a Democrat, and has supported Al Gore, John Kerry, and Barack Obama.
Uihlein inherited a 300-acre (120 ha) parcel of land from her grandparents, Joseph and Ilma Uihlein, in Port Washington, Wisconsin.[2] In January 2009, she bought 25 acres (10 ha) of land from the former Squires Country Club.[2] She has one daughter, Sarah Zimmerman, who currently serves as president of the Brico Fund.[6]