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NEVADA’S FIRST LADIES

These biographies of Nevada’s First Ladies were produced under the auspices of the Jean Ford Research Center, which was established within the Nevada Women’s History Project. If you have additional information on any of these women please contact the NWHP.

A

Emma (Lee) Adams (1851-1941)

  • Carson City, San Francisco, CA
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother
B

Edna Idelle (Sinnamon) Balzar (1881-1943)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Virginia Hode (Bradley) Belknap (1847-1925)

  • Carson City, San Francisco, CA
  • Governor’s Official Hostess, Wife, Mother

Mary (Poor) Bell (1850-1925)

  • Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Sarah Jane (Cox) Blasdel (1826-1904)

  • Carson City, San Francisco, CA
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother, Philanthropist

Vida Margaret (McClure) Boyle (1880-1972)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Newspaper Publisher, World Traveler

Bonnie (Fairchild) Bryan (1939-2016)

  • Clark Co. (Las Vegas), Carson City
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother, Civic Activist
C

Irma Marie (Callahan) Carville (1890-1973)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Mary Frances (Hopkins) Colcord (1847-1923)

  • Carson City
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother
D

Una (Reilly) Dickerson (1881-1959)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother
E

No Entries

F

No Entries

G

Dawn (Snelling) Gibbons (1954- )

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Businesswoman, Wife, Mother, State Legislator

Marianne (Williamson) Griswold (1892-1965)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Dema Lee (Lane) Guinn (1938- )

  • Carson City, Clark Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother, Civic Activist
H

No Entries

I

No Entries

J

Elizabeth Weyburn Jones-Sifford (1861-1925)

  • Carson City, Stillwater (Lyon Co.), Honey Lake, CA
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother
K

Elizabeth (Fall) Kinkead (1837-1907)

  • Carson City, Lyon Co., Sitak, AK
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Mabelle Jean (King) Kirman (1878-1947)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother
L

Jackalyn (Ross) Laxalt (1927-2004)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co., Scottsdale, AZ
  • First Lady, Drug and Alcoholism Counselor, Wife, Mother

Kathryn Sue (Geary) List (1940 – )

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother, Educator, Realtor
M

Sandra Ann (Searles) Miller (1949- )

  • Carson City, Clark Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother, Educator, Community Activist
N

No Entries

O

Carolyn J. (Randall) O’Callaghan (1935-2004)

  • Carson City, Clark Co.
  • First Lady, newspaper publisher, United Way, Christmas Seal Foundation and Democratic Women’s Clubs

Ellen G. Oddie (1841-1914)

  • Carson City
  • Governor’s Official Hostess, Wife, Mother
P

Ida Louise (Brewington) Pittman (1893-1984)

  • Carson City, Clark/Nye/White Pine Co.
  • First Lady, Music Teacher, Newspaper Owner and Publisher, Wife, World Traveler
Q

No Entries

R

Marjorie Ann (Guild) Russell (1916-1997)

  • Carson City
  • First Lady, Nevada State Museum Board of Trustees, Wife, Mother, Educator
S

Louise (Zadow) Sadler (1851-1923)

  • Carson City, Eureka Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Kathleen (Tiepner) Sandoval (1965-)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother, Non-Profit Family & Youth Intervention Program Director

Lauralyn Lovell (McCarthy) Sandoval (1969-)

  • Las Vegas, Clark Co.
  • First Lady, Gaming Industry, Executive, Entrepreneur, Innovator, Advocate for people with disabilities

Bette Norene (Hoge) Sawyer (1923-2002)

  • Carson City, Clark/Elko Co.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother, Civic Activist

Julia (McCann) Scrugham (1879 -1954)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co., Washington D.C.
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Katherine Won (Ong) Sisolak (1953 – )

  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • First Lady, Wife, Financial Consulting

Nancy Elnora (Knight) Sparks (1857-1947)

  • Carson City, Washoe Co., Alameda, CA
  • First Lady, Wife, Mother

Ellen M. Frame Stevenson (1845-1892)

  • Carson City, Oakland, CA
  • First Lady, Wife
T

No Entries

U

No Entries

V

No Entries

W

No Entries

X

No Entries

Y

No Entries

Z

No Entries

Submitting a Nevada First Lady Biography

A Message from the First Ladies Biographies Editor

Welcome to the Nevada’s First Ladies web page. Our goal is to obtain and publish comprehensive biographies so that our readers will know each First Lady as an individual and not simply as a title associated with their husband the Governor.

All of these women had special talents, accomplishments and experiences. Many of our more recent First Ladies had occupations before holding the unofficial position of First Lady. Prior to Ada Pittman (1945-1951), who was a newspaper publisher, there is little information about the contributions within their communities and our State. Their personal histories have been missing for far too long and it is an important part of Nevada history that needs to be filled in and publicly recognized.

We have provided a photograph and bibliography for each First Lady, and have included an obituary for those that are copyright free. Most are woefully lacking in personal details. As we gain copyright permission for recent obituaries we will add them to this web page. As biographies are written for the First Ladies we will update their information.
Nevada is fortunate to have several living former First Ladies and we have asked for biographical information from each of them. We plan to post photographs and biographies as they are received.

If you are interested in writing a biography of a Nevada First Lady please contact the NWHP Office. Please assist us in gathering information on Nevada’s First Ladies. If you know of any First Lady’s relative or individual who could provide additional information or who could write a biography on a First Lady please let us know.

Thank you,
Patti Bernard, Nevada First Ladies Biography Editor

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