MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. (CBS) — Longtime Chicago Bears matriarch Virginia Halas McCaskey was laid to rest this morning. Mrs. McCaskey died Thursday, Feb. 6, at the age of 102. She was the eldest child of “Papa Bear” George Halas Sr., a founding father of both the Bears and the National Football League. He came on as a player/coach with the team – originally the Decatur Staleys – in 1920, and built it into an American sports powerhouse.
Mrs. McCaskey was born in 1923, learnt everything there was to know about the team from her father, and inherited it when he passed away in 1983. She was the only heir to the franchise after her only brother, George “Mugs” Halas Jr., passed away in 1979 from a heart attack.
St. Emily Catholic Church in Mount Prospect, which is close to where Mrs. McCaskey and her husband reared their eleven children, had a memorial service for Mrs. McCaskey.
On Wednesday, dozens of Bears organization members, including current Bears President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Poles, General Manager Ryan Poles, and Head Coach Ben Johnson, were present to offer their parting condolences to Mrs. McCaskey.
Representatives from the 1985 Super Bowl winning squad and the 2006 Super Bowl challengers were among the other former Bears legends there. Former linebacker Brian Urlacher, placekicker Robbie Gold, former cornerback Charles “Peanut” Tillman, defensive tackle Dan Hampton, and former safety Gary Fencik were among the attendance, as were former head coaches Lovie Smith and Matt Forte.
Chicago Cubs co-owners Laura and Tom Ricketts, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy, and New York Giants owner John Mara also showed up to pay their respects.
The attendance at the service demonstrated the impact of Mrs. McCaskey.
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