Virginia Halas McCaskey, the only daughter of Pro Football Hall of Famer George Halas and the Bears' principal owner since 1983, passed away February 6 at the age of 102.
"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," the family said. "She guided the Bears for four decades and based every business decision on what was best for Bears players, coaches, staff and fans."
Mrs. McCaskey was born Jan. 5, 1923, less than three years after her father founded the Bears as the Decatur Staleys and helped create what would become the NFL.
No single individual witnessed as much pro football history as Mrs. McCaskey. As a toddler, she accompanied her dad and the Bears during the Red Grange barnstorming tour in 1925-26. Grange, a Hall of Famer who was football's most popular superstar in his day, carried her in front of him through train stations so fans wouldn't recognize him and mob him for autographs.
In 1932, Mrs. McCaskey attended the NFL's first indoor game, watching the Bears capture the league championship by blanking the Portsmouth Spartans 9-0 at Chicago Stadium. In the 1940s, she witnessed the "Monsters of the Midway" win four league championships while modernizing pro football with the introduction of the "T" formation.
Mrs. McCaskey assumed control of the Bears in her 60s upon her father's passing in 1983. The team followed by capturing five straight NFC Central Division championships from 1984-88 and capping a magical 1985 season with a 46-10 rout of the Patriots in Super Bowl XX. One of her proudest moments came when she was presented the George S. Halas Trophy after the Bears won the NFC championship with a 39-14 victory over the Saints Jan. 27, 2007, at snowy Soldier Field.
Asked if she had a message for Bears fans after that game, Mrs. McCaskey said: "I definitely do. I think our Bears fans are wonderful. I'm so glad everybody's learning the Bears fight song. I thought that was one of my favorite parts of the Sunday celebration. The other message I would borrow from my husband, Ed. He always used the closing line: 'In your prayers, remember the Bears.'"
One member of the famed '85 Bears, Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, was extra special to Mrs. McCaskey.
"I was trying to think of words that mean 'Walter Payton' to me," Mrs. McCaskey once said. "And the first one that comes to mind is excellence. The second one is class, and the third one is fun because that was a big part of everyone's contact with Walter in one way or another."
Mrs. McCaskey was a fixture at Bears games, both at home and on the road. Every year she hosted a Bears wives' luncheon and appeared at the Bears Care Gala and the Ed Block Courage Award luncheon. On occasion, she spoke to Bears rookies and visited training camp. At Halas Hall, she had an office and a reserved parking spot next to her father's statue just outside the front door.
"I've been so blessed that this has been my life," Mrs. McCaskey once said. "I can't think of any other way I would want to be living my life."
To honor Virginia Halas McCaskey, ChicagoBears.com takes a look back at some of our favorite moments with the Bears owner through the years.
When her son, Bears chairman George H. McCaskey, celebrated her 100th birthday in 2023, he described her greatest qualities as her "grace, quiet dignity, humility and gratitude," and revealed that she continues to inspire him "every day in every way" with "a remarkable combination of grit and grace."
"She's the guiding force behind everything we do here, and everybody knows that, including the guys in the locker room," he said at the time.
Halas revealed in his autobiography that he and his wife, Min, were expecting a boy when Min was pregnant with Virginia: "The initial shock over, I was delighted with my daughter," Halas wrote. "I began immediately plying her with orange juice—the fad at the time for young babies—and stories of the Bears."
During grade school when a group of boys were bragging to Virginia about meeting Chicago Cubs star Gabby Hartnett, she countered by mentioning that she personally knew Grange. When the boys refused to believe her, she returned to school with an autographed photo of Grange that read: "Dear Virginia, Sure, I do know you and I think you're swell, Red Grange."
Mrs. McCaskey attended Drexel University in Philadelphia, where she studied business management. It was there that she met her future husband, who was a student at the University of Pennsylvania and also sang in a band at local dance halls. Virginia married Ed McCaskey Feb. 2, 1943—on her father's 48th birthday. Ed soon left for Europe to fight in World War II, serving in the Army.
"He was charming," Mrs. McCaskey once said. "He cared about people. I think that was his best quality."
The McCaskeys were married for 60 years until Ed passed away April 8, 2003, at the age of 83. Devout Catholics, they raised 11 children. Three of Ed and Virginia's eight sons currently work full-time for the Bears: George is joined by vice presidents Patrick and Brian.
The McCaskeys' oldest child, Michael, served as Bears president from 1982-99 and chairman from 1999 until his retirement in 2011. Michael passed away May 16, 2020, at the age of 76. The McCaskeys' second oldest child, Tim, served as a Bears vice president from 1993 until his death Jan. 30, 2011.
In addition to George (Barbara), Patrick (Gretchen) and Brian (Barbara), Mrs. McCaskey is survived by sons Edward Jr. (Kathy), Richard and Joseph – and daughters Ellie (Barney) Tonquest, Mary and Anne (Mike) Catron along with 21 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Fittingly, Mrs. McCaskey's final Bears game – on her 102nd birthday Jan 5 no less - was an exciting victory over the rival Packers in Green Bay decided with a game winning field goal by Cairo Santos as time expired.
"I'm just very grateful for my life and all the opportunities I've had," she once said, "all the privileges I've had, all the games I've watched, all the miracles I've watched. I can't think of a better life, and I hope we all value what we have and take good care of it."
