Former Pa. first lady Ellen Casey dies at age 91

Aug. 11—Former first lady Ellen Casey, the widow of the late Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey, died Friday in Scranton, according to her son, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. She was 91.

"Our mother, Ellen Harding Casey, died peacefully this morning at Regional Hospital, Scranton, after a brief illness. We are mourning the loss of our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was the center of our family, and we are deeply saddened by this loss," Casey Jr. wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The former Ellen Harding married Robert Casey in 1953. She became first lady with her husband's election in 1986 as governor. He served two terms in office. They had eight children and numerous grandchildren and were married until the late governor's death in 2000.

The couple's son, Casey Jr., is a three-term Democratic senator of Pennsylvania. He's seeking a fourth term in next year's elections.

Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered the U.S. and Commonwealth flags be flown at half-staff in Ellen Casey's honor.

First Lady Lori Shapiro shared prayers and condolences on the news of Ellen's death.

"Ellen was an ambassador for the commonwealth and her beloved home of Scranton. Like Governor Casey, she made family, health, and children part of her life's work. Her work to raise awareness around breast cancer, literacy, and so much more made the lives of countless Pennsylvanians better," Lori Shapiro said in a prepared statement.

"We are grateful to Ellen for her dedication to the people of Pennsylvania. May her memory be a blessing for her family and all of us who benefited from her service," she said.