Vontella Hess Kimball (1906-1971) was the great-granddaughter to Church leader Heber C. Kimball who was known for her classes on cosmetic techniques, a traveler to New Testament Biblical sites, and as a member of the University Relations Department of Brigham Young University from 1963-1964.

Vontella Hess Kimball was born in Farmington, Utah on January 31, 1906 to David Cornelius and Lois Kimball Hess. She was a great-granddaughter of Heber C. Kimball, a noted pioneer of the Mormon Church. Vontella married Stanley 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.

In 1935, through her work, Vontella took her first trip abroad to deepen her knowledge of cosmetic techniques. Vontella often lectured on etiquette and beauty at business and social clubs, and she also gave classes at colleges, including Brigham Young University.

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. Vontella worked in the University Relations department at Brigham Young University about 1963 to 1964. On September 26, 1971 she passed away.