The daughter of the Bears founder and football pioneer, George Halas, she witnessed much of N.F.L. history from a young age, then took the team’s reins in 1983.

With the passing of Chicago Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey on Thursday, an era has closed for the Bears and the National Football League. As the daughter of George Halas, McCaskey was one of the few threads still connecting the NFL's past to its present.

Virginia McCaskey, who inherited the Chicago Bears from her father, George Halas, but avoided the spotlight during four-plus decades as principal owner, has died.