Violet Bidwill Wolfner

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Violet Fults Bidwill Wolfner (born January 10, 1900 in Red Bud , Illinois; died January 29, 1962 in Miami Beach ) became the owner of the Chicago Cardinals NFL franchise following the death of her husband Charles Bidwill . She was the first woman to have such a team.

Life

Violet Fults' father died early. In the 1920s she met the Chicago businessman Charles Bidwill and the two married. The two sons Charles “Stormy” Bidwill Jr. (born 1928) and William (Bill) Bidwill (1931–2019) were adopted as babies.

The shy woman did not go public until after the death of Charles Bidwill on April 19, 1947. Since the two sons were still minors or were in education, Violet Bidwill took control of the inheritance. This included the Chicago Cardinals NFL team. She was supported in this by the President Ray Bennigsen. On September 28, 1949, she married the businessman Walter HS Wolfner (1898–1971). This then began to take control of the assets, and thus the NFL franchise. Formally, from 1951, the sons were appointed President and Vice President of the Franchise. Wolfner himself acted as general manager. From then on, the relationship with the team owner of the Chicago Bears , George Halas , the other NFL franchise in Chicago, deteriorated . Eventually, the rift led to the franchise moving to St. Louis in 1960. In this context Violet Bidwill Wolfner sold 10% of the shares to the brewery entrepreneur Joseph Griesedieck ( Falstaff Brewing Corporation ).

Violet Bidwill Wolfner died on January 29, 1962 of penicillin intolerance. In her will, her fortune of approximately $ 3 million was bequeathed to her two sons, and Wolfner was awarded only four Oklahoma oil wells. As a result, Wolfner sued the will and announced the adoption of the two sons. They themselves did not know anything about this fact until then. In addition to the NFL team, she bequeathed the Sportman's Park racecourse in Chicago to her sons and several dog tracks in Florida.

Violet Bidwill had a wardrobe of over 25,000 items, including more than 1,000 dresses and over 1,500 shoes. The three-day auction in November 1963 returned $ 40,000.

She is buried in a family grave in the Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ 14 Mar 1960, 61 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com. Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
  2. ^ 3 Sep 1972, Page 28 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch at Newspapers.com. Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
  3. ↑ IN RE ESTATE OF WOLFNER | 44 Ill. App.2d 77 (1963) | app2d771111 | Leagle.com. Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
  4. ^ 21 Nov 1963, 26 - The Daily Advertiser at Newspapers.com. Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
  5. ↑ Violet Bidwill Wolfner (1900-1962) - Find a Grave ... Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
personal data
SURNAME Wolfner, Violet Bidwill
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wolfner, Violet Fults Bidwill (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Owner of the St. Louis / Chicago Cardinals
DATE OF BIRTH January 10, 1900
PLACE OF BIRTH Red Bud , Illinois
DATE OF DEATH January 29, 1962
Place of death Miami Beach