Virginia Halas-McCaskey, Matriarch and Owner of Bears Football Franchise, Dies at 102

The NFL has learned that the matriarch of the Bears franchise, Virginia Halas-McCaskey, has died. The Bears stated, The Bears’ statement reads, in part: “Over the last 41-plus years, Mrs. McCaskey continued the steadfast mission set forth by her father to uphold the values of the City of Chicago, its people and its fans.

“Mrs. McCaskey understood, not only her father’s love and appreciation of football and the team which he played for, coached and owned, but also the love of the Chicago Bears by its fans. She always kept in mind what the Bears meant to the City of Chicago and what the city meant to the Bears.

Jarret Payton reflected on a time when “Mama Bear,” as she was referred to, was there for him and his family following the death of Bears great Walter Payton, the namesake of an award given to a player during the Super Bowl.

“She lived a life of love, a life of greatness, of giving back in service,” Jarrett Payton said. “The way she treated people is always how she’ll be remembered in my heart. … Even though it’s sad, we celebrate her life.

Virginia took over the franchise following the death of her father, George Halas.

Virginia was known for another legacy… her stance on abortion. In a 2020 article from American Life League, she reflected on what motivated her to be all in for the cause of life. Early in her marriage, she learned of a hospital near her that was going to perform abortions.

“It felt like a personal attack on our values and our neighborhood,” Virginia recalls. “We knew we needed to do something more than write letters and write a few small checks to different organizations.”

She also noticed that there was a shift in the culture that has unfolded long after Roe v Wade.

“I wonder if [these people] have ever watched the telecast of the March for Life,” she ponders. She expresses her admiration for those who sacrifice so much to participate: “Even though they don’t get any recognition, you cannot deny the numbers [of those who participate],” she says. “And who would have thought at the beginning of all this [Roe v. Wade] that the president of the United States would attend the March for Life?”

McCaskey had 11 children, eight sons and three daughters. She is survived by her sons Patrick, Edward Jr., George, Richard, Brian and Joseph, and daughters Ellen Tonquest, Mary and Anne Catron. She is also survived by 21 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. Her son Michael tragically died in May 2020.

Virginia aka Mama Bear left behind a legacy that will never be unmatched for generations to come.

There is no doubt that Mama Bear received a hero’s welcome for saving countless lives by helping to establish the American Life League and being a playmaker for the Culture of Life.

For the soul of Virginia Halas-McCaskey, eternal rest, grant unto her, O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen