Helen Lurene Beins was one of twins born to William and Irene Beings on November 16th, 1912.
She graduated from high school with the class of 1930, then taught at school districts #100 and #77, at Gushing and in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1940 she received her teaching degree from the University of Nebraska, (side note: her little sister Ethel Maree was one of her 2nd grade students in rural school #77).
On February 7,1944 she married Olaf J. Nordland (1913 -1985) at the "Church of the Flowers" at Forest Lawn in Clendale, California. Mr. Nordland was the former editor of the Aurora Republican Register. Her mother took the train out to California to be present for the wedding.
Following marriage, she and Ole lived in El Centra and Brawley, California where he was a newspaper editor and she a teacher. In 1948 they moved to Indio, California where Ole continued his vocation as a newspaper editor. They had one daughter, Jan Anita, born September 17th, 1953. Helen continued to teach elementary school for Desert Sands Unified School District until she retire in 1979. She had taught a total of 41 and 1/2 years.
She:
- member of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
- member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society, (teachers organization)
- National Charity League
- Desert Viking Chapter of the Vasa Order of America, (a Scandinavia cultural club)
- California Women for Agriculture
- Coachella Valley Historical Society
Following retirement, she loved to travel, and she took trips to visit her family and friends as well as took trips to New Zealand, Africa, Russia and Europe. She was a member of a quilting group and was always known for being handy with a needle and thread. She also loved to create things and used her artistic abilities in many of the areas of her life. In retirement she was able to take a number of watercolor and art classes.
