Virginia McCaskey, the principal owner and matriarch of the Chicago Bears, has died at the age of 102. In 1983, McCaskey took over the Chicago Bears from her father, George Halas, a founder of the NFL. Her family shared through the team that she passed away on Thursday.
Chicago Bears Owner Virginia McCaskey Passes Away; What Was Her Contribution to the Organization?
“Though we grieve, we find solace in the knowledge that Virginia Halas McCaskey enjoyed a lengthy, fulfilling, faith-driven life and is now reunited with her true love from this world,” the family shared. “She led the Bears for forty years and made every business choice with the well-being of Bears players, coaches, staff, and fans in mind.”
NFL writer Judy Battista mentions in McCaskey’s obituary that the deceased McCaskey attended every Bears game and frequently stressed over the outcomes. In her era, the Bears secured a Super Bowl victory in 1986 and fell short in a second appearance 21 years afterwards. In 2014, her son, George, dismissed the coach and general manager after a poor season and notably stated that his mother was “angry.”
“Virginia Halas McCaskey, the matriarch of the Chicago Bears and daughter of George Halas, the founder of the NFL, leaves a legacy of class, dignity, and humanity,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Faith, family, and football — in that order — were her north stars and she lived by the simple adage to always ‘do the right thing.’ The Bears that her father started meant the world to her, and he would be proud of the way she continued the family business with such dedication and passion. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the McCaskey and Halas families and Bears fans around the world.”