Helene Gornick was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania on December 19, 1922 to Theodore and Nancy Lastufka Gornick, both born in Austria.

At the time of the 1930 Federal Census of Washington Township, Butler County, the family lived on Butler and Eau Clare Road. The children in 1930 were Mary, Michael, Steven, Katherine, Joseph, Sophie, Helen, and twins, Pauline and Paul.

While a student nurse at St. Francis Hospital, Helene participated in the U.S., World War II Cadet Nursing Corps.

On March 31, 1948, Helene Gornick married Donald Kenneth Lowe at Fort Pierce, St. Lucie, Florida. They had a daughter, October Renee.

Helene died on June 9, 1997 at Broward County, Florida. She is buried in Butler, Pennsylvania.