( CNN ) You probably never knew her name , but you were familiar with her work . Betty Whitehead Willis , the designer of the iconic `` Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas '' sign , died over the weekend . She was 91 . Willis played a major role in creating some of the most memorable neon work in the city . The Neon Museum also credits her with designing the signs for Moulin Rouge Hotel and Blue Angel Motel . Willis visited the Neon Museum in 2013 to celebrate her 90th birthday . Born about 50 miles outside of Las Vegas in Overton , she attended art school in Pasadena , California , before returning home . She retired at age 77 . Willis never trademarked her most-famous work , calling it `` my gift to the city . '' Today it can be found on everything from T-shirts to refrigerator magnets . People we 've lost in 2015 .
Willis never trademarked her most-famous work , calling it `` my gift to the city '' .