Virginia Halas McCaskey, the principal owner of the Chicago Bears, passed away at the age of 102, the team announced on Thursday.
McCaskey was the eldest daughter of Bears founder George Halas. Her brother, George “Mugs” Halas, became team president in 1963 but died of a heart attack in 1979. After their father’s death in 1983, McCaskey took over the team with her husband, Ed. Their son, George McCaskey, is the current chairman of the team.
McCaskey celebrated her 102nd birthday on January 5 and passed away just three days before Super Bowl LIX.
“While we are sad, we are comforted knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, full, faith-filled life and is now with the love of her life on earth,” said the family in a statement. “She guided the Bears for four decades and based every business decision on what was best for Bears players, coaches, staff and fans.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell praised McCaskey’s legacy, stating that she “leaves a legacy of class, dignity, and humanity.”
“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,” Goodell wrote.
McCaskey had a unique perspective on NFL history as she watched the league grow. She attended Drexel University with plans to be her father’s secretary but ended up leading the team for more than four decades.
During McCaskey’s time as owner, the Bears went to two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XX in 1986. They also reached the NFC Championship and won her father’s namesake trophy against the New Orleans Saints in 2007, though they lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI.
She saw the team hire 10 head coaches in her 42 years as owner, with her last hire being Ben Johnson. Her final Bears game was a 24-22 win over the Packers, a rare victory in recent years.
McCaskey was a devout Catholic and kept a private life, living modestly in the Chicago suburbs while attending almost every Bears game.
Before her passing, McCaskey was the oldest and longest-serving owner in the NFL and one of 10 female owners in the league. She and her family owned 80% of the franchise.
McCaskey had 11 children, more than 40 grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her eldest son, Michael, was team president from 1983 until 1999, when she removed him from the position. He became chairman of the Bears’ board until stepping down in 2011. Michael McCaskey passed away in 2020.
Her husband, Ed McCaskey, who was once chairman and treasurer of the Bears, died in 2003.
