Nina (Ruhnow) Sewell was born in Waseca, Minnesota in 1902 and died April 12, 1989 at age 86. Her father, Friedrich C. Ruhnow was born October 6, 1865 in West Prussia and died December 30, 1901 before Nina was born; he and his family came from Prussia and settled in New Ulm, Minnesota. Friedrich C. Ruhnow married Helena Rieck of Waseca February 11, 1901. Helena Rieck was born on July 8, 1874 in Waseca and died in January 1908 at age 34 when Nina was five years old; Nina was then raised by her grandmother. Nina attended Waseca High School and graduated in the class of 1922. Nina attended Mankato State University. In 1929, she married Douglas H. Sewell. Nina and Douglas had one child, the donor, Ann Sewell. Nina was a volunteer weather announcer for FM public radio station in her 70s; at the age of 82, she made a television commercial in Seattle that played for five years; she was also a watercolor artist.
