HR0144 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0144 LRB104 12341 ECR 22521 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Chicago Bears principal owner Virginia Halas McCaskey, who passed away on February 6, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Virginia McCaskey was the eldest child of the founder of the Chicago Bears and the National Football League (NFL), George Halas; she received a degree in business management from Drexel University with the goal of serving as her father's secretary; she also joined the Pi Sigma Gamma sorority, the Newman Club, the Panhellenic Council, and the YWCA; her first memory of attending a Chicago Bears game was at the age of two, and she attended her first NFL Championship game at the age of eight; she also attended the 1940 NFL Championship when the Bears won 73-0 with their infamous "T" formation; and

WHEREAS, Virginia McCaskey officially served as secretary of the Bears franchise and as a member of the team's board of directors; she voted the shares of herself, her children, and her grandchildren; she and her heirs owned 80% of the Bears, and the team has been in Halas-McCaskey hands since George Halas acquired the then Decatur Staleys from A.E. Staley in 1921 and then moved the team to Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Virginia McCaskey's father originally intended for her younger brother, George "Mugs" Halas Jr., to inherit the team; however, Mugs tragically died of a heart attack in 1979; therefore, Virginia was next in line to inherit the Bears when her father, affectionately known as "Papa Bear", passed away four years later; and

WHEREAS, During Virginia McCaskey's tenure as owner, the infamous 1985 Bears won Super Bowl XX in dominant fashion, beating the New England Patriots by a score of 46-10; this was two years after the death of her father and was part of a run of five consecutive NFC North Titles for the Bears from 1984 to 1988; and

WHEREAS, In the later days of her ownership, Virginia McCaskey became much more of a hands-off owner, leaving the front office roles to her sons, Michael and George; in 1999, they hired someone outside of the family to be the team's president, marking the first time a Halas or McCaskey did not hold that title; Virginia's husband, Ed, previously served as chairman and treasurer of the Bears and acted as co-owner alongside Virginia until his death in 2003; and

WHEREAS, On January 21, 2007, Virginia McCaskey accepted the NFC Championship trophy that bears her father's name; she called it her "happiest day so far" after the Bears had beaten the New Orleans Saints, leading to their second Super Bowl appearance; and

WHEREAS, In 2022, Virginia McCaskey was one of ten female NFL owners; after the death of Arizona Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill in October 2019, she became the longest tenured owner in the NFL; and

WHEREAS, With the team that her father built, Virginia McCaskey was known for being proudly private because she rarely discussed the business aspect of her life; after marrying her husband, Ed McCaskey, in 1943, she had 11 children, 21 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren; she was a Roman Catholic and considered faith, family, and football inseparable in her life; and

WHEREAS, Virginia McCaskey turned 102 on January 5, 2025, which was the same day of the final Bears game she would ever see, a win against the Green Bay Packers; she passed away a month later; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Virginia Halas McCaskey and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, the loyal fans of the Chicago Bears, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Virginia Halas McCaskey as an expression of our deepest sympathy.