A Queen One More Time

Ellen Casey Blair, 87 years young, had a dream to become a queen one more time.

Having been Fallon Kiwanis Rodeo Queen in 1956 and Nevada State High School Rodeo Queen from Fallon in 1957, Ellen said, “I beat out 12 other girls to win.” To compete in the queen contest, she would ride Georgie Sicking's horse, Tassy. Fallon cutting horse trainer Wayne Cuttliff would judge the state rodeo queen contest in Fallon that year. She would go to UNR for one semester and decide college was not for her. In 1981, she would complete her education to become a lymphology therapist.

Having lived in Hawthorne since 1970, she always wanted to win the Senior Armed Forces Day Penny Queen contest. This contest was a certified America 250 Nevada event celebrating the pioneering spirit of native Nevadans. The contestant who collected the most pennies won; Ellen collected 7,124 pennies and one red button. When she turned in her pennies, she thought the button was an additional penny. Macular degeneration stole most of her eyesight a few years ago.

The queen, Ellen Blair, and her princesses, first runner-up Ms. Della Young, 99¾ years young, and second runner-up Phyllis Lamb, represented the Mineral County Senior Housing Manor. They rode on a float behind the Grand Marshal in the 75th Annual Armed Forces Day Parade in Hawthorne on May 16, 2026.

Ellen Casey Blair was born in Handley Hospital, located on Auction Road in Fallon, in 1939 and was delivered by Dr. Sawyer. Dr. Sawyer's son, Frank Grant Sawyer, would go on to become Nevada's 21st governor from 1959 to 1967.

Ellen was born to parents John and Myrtle Atkinson Casey. She would begin her school years in Fallon, then her parents would move the family to a ranch between Ely and Tonopah. She would graduate from the eighth grade in Tonopah; her teacher was Charlene Locke. The family would return to Fallon, where she would attend Churchill County High School and graduate in 1957. This would be the same year the Greenwave would win state championships in every sport.