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Born in 1843 in Ohio, Helen was raised in an environment that valued progress and education. Her father, a canal worker turned banker, instilled in her a pioneering spirit. Educated and forward-thinking, Helen married John in 1865, and they settled in Nina, Wisconsin. She became an advocate for women's education, championing domestic science and supporting faculty positions at Milwaukee's domestic science college, where she also financed the construction of Kimberly Hall.
The Kimberlys' lives took a new turn when, seeking milder winters, they began spending winters in Redlands, California, by 1899. The weather was a welcome escape from Wisconsin's harsh winter, and by 1905, they decided to establish a more permanent residence there.