Archives West Finding Aid

Vontella Hess Buchholz Kimball (1906-1971) was born in Farmington, Utah, to David Cornelius and Lois Kimball Hess. She was a great-granddaughter of Heber C. Kimball, a noted pioneer of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Vontella married S. H. Buchholz in 1926. The couple had one son, Stanley. She married Richard H. Kimball in 1938. When Vontella was seventeen years of age she enrolled at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and was employed in the cosmetics department of Auerbach's, a local department store. Newspaper clippings show she was not only beautiful, but very skilled at her work and willing to teach others about cosmetics and fashion. Because of her talents and with the help of her mentor, Helena Rubenstein, she was sent to New York City to learn more about the make-up industry and later became the national education director of a large cosmetic firm called Tussy Cosmetics. In 1935, through her work, Vontella took her first trip abroad to deepen her knowledge of cosmetic techniques. Because of her experience, passion, and knowledge, Vontella often lectured on charm and beauty at business and social clubs, and she also gave classes at colleges, including Brigham Young University. A subject she frequently discussed was titled, "Beauty through the Ages."

In the course of her work, she visited Europe and the Middle East many times between 1935 and 1966. Vontella was impressed with the Arab world and the locations of the New Testament. She enjoyed visiting "every spot that Paul did" and wrote about being the first woman to enter the cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Additionally, Vontella collected artifacts dating back to 3000 B.C.

Her admiration for the Arab world kept her in contact with the friends she encountered on her many trips. Later she gave lectures in the United States on traditional Arab attire and jewelry. She lectured for twenty years and then went to radio and television.

Vontella Kimball died in 1971.