Augusta Dorothy Morrow was born on Valentine's Day, 1920 in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. She was the fourth of ten children (one of whom died in infancy). The Morrow family subsisted on a farm and the salary of their father's teaching. Augusta and her future husband, Ivey C. Helm, were both taught by her father. Upon completing high school Augusta took the state teachers certification test and passed. She began her teaching career in rural Arkansas and attended Arkansas Teachers' College in Conway, AR. After World War II, Ivey returned from overseas duty in the U.S. Army and he and Augusta were married on June 30, 1946. In 1949 Augusta, Ivey and their new son Gary moved to California. Ivey found work as a cabinet maker and Augusta worked in an aircraft factory when they first arrived in Southern California. The family returned to Arkansas and tried their hand at farming but after two years, they returned to California where Augusta's second son, Richard, was born.

Augusta continued her teaching career at Village Christian School in 1959. She dedicated 25 years of her life teaching second graders at the school. Her career included teaching the children and grandchildren of kids she taught at Village Christian. She retired in 1985.

Augusta and Ivey were active members of the Village Church in Burbank, CA for many years. When Ivey passed away, Augusta continued to attend Village Church until she moved to the Friendly Valley retirement community in Santa Clarita in the 1990s. Augusta then became a member of the Friendly Valley United Methodist church and acted as their secretary for several years. She also used her teaching talent by volunteering to teach reading to girls at the Joseph Scott juvenile detention center in Santa Clarita.

Augusta is survived by her sisters, Hester and Leonora, two sons, three grand children and one great-grandchild.