Vivien Kellems died at the age of 78 in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. Her death marked the end of a life dedicated to challenging the U.S. tax system and advocating for voting reform and the Equal Rights Amendment. The government then pursued her heirs for back taxes.

Anna Vivien Kellems was born in Des Moines, Iowa, to David Clinton Kellems and Amanda Louise (née Flint). This date marks the beginning of her life and her eventual career as an industrialist, inventor, and political activist known for her tax resistance.