The woman who came up with a neon sign that has welcomed countless visitors to 'fabulous Las Vegas ' since 1959 has died . Betty Willis , credited with designing the 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas ' sign , died in her Overton , Nevada , home on Sunday , according to an obituary on the Virgin Valley & Moapa Valley Mortuaries ' website . The 91-year-old artist 's often-copied sign sits in a median in the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard south of the Strip . Betty Willis in her Las Vegas home on December 30 , 2004 , with a replica of the sign she designed in 1959 to lure tourists . She died aged 91 . The 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas ' neon sign , here outlined in pink lightbulbs in honor of breast cancer awareness month , became a major tourist attraction . 'It 's the most recognizable icon in the world , ' said Danielle Kelly , executive director of The Neon Museum in Las Vegas , where the signs of Sin City 's past are retired and on display . The welcome sign 's design , which does n't have a copyright owner , has become a fixture on travel tchotchkes from Vegas and everywhere else , Kelly said . She has a T-shirt from San Francisco with that city 's name swapped in for Las Vegas in front of the sign 's recognizable shape , she said . 'The fact that everyone loves that sign and its design after all these years is a testament to Betty 's talents , ' Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak said . 'There is probably no bigger Las Vegas icon than that sign . ' In 2009 , the sign was added to the National Register of Historic Places . Kelly called Willis ' designs dazzling and said her personality was akin to a strong , fast-talking female lead in movies like 'His Girl Friday . ' ' A little salty , a little irreverent , ' Kelly said with fondness . ' I thought she was a classic broad . ' Willis , born in 1923 in the small town of Overton northeast of Las Vegas , worked as a commercial artist in Los Angeles before returning to Las Vegas , where she worked for sign companies and designed the famous diamond-shaped beacon of flashing lights . The sign has become such a popular photo backdrop that a parking lot for cars and tour buses in the middle of the street was expanded in 2012 . Willis also designed neon signs for the Moulin Rouge casino and Blue Angel motel in Las Vegas . The iconic neon sign has welcomed tourists to Las Vegas since 1959 . Willis also designed neon signs for the Moulin Rouge casino and Blue Angel motel . Wedding photographer Sergio Lopez , left , take pictures of newly-weds Joseph Buangan and his wife Joyce , with the 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas ' neon sign in the background .
Artist Betty Willis designed the famous neon sign in 1959 . The sign sits in a median in the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard south of the Strip and is a popular tourist attraction . In 2009 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places . No one owns the copyright to the sign , so it is often imitated and appears on all kinds of souvenirs in Las Vegas and elsewhere .