Nina Johnson was born 13 Jan 1910 in American Fork, Utah Co., Utah, the fourth child of Andrew August and Emily Ellen Dittmore Johnson.

She attended the Lindon grade school and graduated from the Pleasant Grove High School and Seminary in May 1929. She attended the Agricultural College at Logan, Utah for two years and then spent two years in Nurses Training in Salt Lake City and California.

She was employed in Cedar City when she met Charles Otho Helf. He was a construction worker from Pennsylvania. They were married 1 Sept 1935. Their first child Charles William was born in American Fork, 14 July 1938. Later the family moved to Oxnard, California where Charles found employment. His health was poor. He was constantly threatened with heart failure and was hospitalized. Finally on 8 April 1953 he passed away.

Nina was distraught. The constant threat of her husband's health and his passing was more than she could endure. She suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized.

Time, however, heals and she was able to return home and care for her children.