Chicago Bears principal owner and matriarch Virginia Halas McCaskey passed away at the age of 102 on Thursday, the team announced. McCaskey was the oldest child of George Halas and inherited the team in 1983 when her father passed away.

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.

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.