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Women of Clark County

Lorna Kesterson

1925 - 212

Lorna Kesterson served as the first female mayor of Henderson from 1985 to 1993. Born in Utah, she moved with her family to Boulder City during the 1930s. Kesterson earned a degree in journalism from Utah State University. Following graduation, she and her husband, Robert, settled in Henderson. Kesterson began her career in journalism at Henderson Home News, first as a reporter and later as the managing editor. Kesterson then served on the Henderson City Council before being elected mayor..

Pictured: Lorna Kesterson (center) with others on Lake Mead, circa 1940s – 1950s. Ward Lindquist Photograph Collection on Lake Mead. UNLV University Libraries Special Collections & Archives.

Sources

• UNLV Special Collections Portal. “Transcript of Interview with Lorna Kesterson by James M. Greene, October 18, 1974.” Accessed May 23, 2025. https://special.library.unlv.edu/ark%3A/62930/d1nc5sq49.
• Wingert, Gregan. “Lorna Kesterson, Henderson’s First Female Mayor, Dies at 86.” Las Vegas Sun, January 17, 2012. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2012/jan/17/hendersons-first-female-mayor-dies/.

For questions or comments, please reach out to the Clark County Museum at ccmuseum@clarkcountynv.gov.