Nearly 20 years ago, Virginia Halas McCaskey gifted her daughter, Anne, and two of her daughters-in-law, Barb and Gretchen, a piece of Bears history.
In the 1970s, Bears players wore logo patches on their travel suits and years later, Mrs. McCaskey found a handful and gave them out to members of her family. Anne, Barb and Gretchen put them on navy blazers of their own and routinely wore them to games or Bears events.
In honor of Mrs. McCaskey, who passed away Feb. 6 at the age of 102, Barb — the wife of chairman George H. McCaskey — wanted to provide the wives of Bears players, coaches and staff members that same token of history at the 63rd annual Chicago Bears Wives Luncheon Thursday.
"I'm always scheming and I said to Mom, 'why don't we give the ladies these patches?'" Barb said. "She got a little twinkle in her eye and she said, 'that would be great because then the wives would have something that the husbands don't.' It's very clear that the women in the players', coaches' and staff's lives work really hard as well, so I'm just really glad we could do it."
Anne, Barb and Gretchen — the wife of Bears vice president Patrick McCaskey — walked around the room and handed each woman in attendance at Halas Hall a hand-stitched, exclusive patch.
Barb expressed to the women that Mrs. McCaskey, or "Mom" as she calls her mother-in-law, cherished and appreciated each of them and understood how necessary their support is to the organization's success. It's why Mrs. McCaskey carried on the tradition of the Wives Luncheon started by her mother, Min Halas.
"Mom had a particular affinity and understanding for everybody in this room," Barb shared with the group. "You are all so kind and generous and present and wise. I get choked up just thinking about it, because I know the times when our guys are away and working. I know it and I am deeply grateful."
Receiving the patch was an unexpected and special moment for the wives.
Kathy Bostrom, wife of longtime Bears employee and current senior advisor of operations and safety John Bostrom, expressed her gratitude for her relationship with Mrs. McCaskey while introducing herself to the entire room. Kathy noted that Mrs. McCaskey always loved when she told people John started out as an intern with the Bears. To now have a physical way of honoring Mrs. McCaskey's legacy and her love for Bears history is something Kathy isn't taking for granted.
"It's so meaningful, so special to have a patch that we can wear, that the players used to wear and that Virginia loved," Kathy said. "Virginia was an incredible woman, and all the other McCaskeys are following in her footsteps. We're all here today because of her, and to just be able to wear this piece of history is incredible. We're just grateful to be a part of this family."
The patch is just as meaningful for the newest members of the Bears family, including Jessica Johnson, wife of head coach Ben Johnson. Ben and Jessica first stepped foot in Halas Hall Jan. 21 when he officially took the helm, their three children — Emory, Kennedy and Halle — by their side as Bears staff welcomed them to Chicago.
Now 10 months later, Jessica is grateful to be a part of her first Bears Wives Luncheon and receive such a historic emblem.
"It's such an honor to be presented with a patch that has so much history," Jessica shared. "To give all the women here today a different glimpse into where it all started, the memories, the hard work and the history of this franchise is special. I know we will all wear the patch with honor knowing we get to be a part of such an incredible organization and family."
After the patches were distributed, each woman in the room had a chance to introduce themselves and explain their connection to the organization. Many shared their partners' journey to the Bears, stories about their own families and expressed what it means to be a part of the Bears family.
Rounding out the afternoon was keynote speaker George H. McCaskey, who spoke for just the second time at the luncheon and first time since being invited to do so by his mother 14 years ago. This time around, he spoke about a common phrase everyone in the McCaskey family often uses: "What would Mom do?"
George shared stories of his mother and expressed her and the family's gratitude for every person in the room and their contributions to the Bears family and its success, including franchise's 800th win Sept. 28 against the Raiders. Holding one of the 800th win game balls, which coach Ben Johnson presented to him on the flight home from Las Vegas, George referred back to the phrase, "What would Mom do?"
"This ball doesn't happen without the support of all of you and all that came before you," George said. "You are essential to the success of the Bears. All the way home on the plane, I was thinking, 'I don't deserve this ball. I didn't do anything. What am I gonna do with it?'
"Then it hit me. What would Mom do? And I know exactly what she would do. She would present this game ball to the head coach's wife of the Chicago Bears."
George called Jessica up on the stage and the two shared a hug as he gifted her the football. Being honored in such an unexpected way at her first Bears Wives Luncheon served as another special reminder to Jessica of her own family's new place in the larger Bears family.
"It was a complete shock to be presented with a game ball from the Bears' 800th win," Jessica shared. "I was speechless and chased George out of the room to say, 'Are you sure? I don't deserve this.' He assured me he was, and I just want to thank him for gifting me that football. I know how hard all of our husbands work out there on the field and behind the scenes and how deserving they all are of recognition.
"I told George how much I wish I could have gotten to know Virginia, because her legacy lives on. This ball is for all the people here now, and all the people who have come before. I just feel so honored that it was presented to me."
