The wife of the late Philadelphia Eagles legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Chuck Bednarik died this week.
Emma Bednarik, 101, of Coopersburg, died Tuesday at Phoebe Manor Care, in Richlandtown, Bucks County, after a brief illness, according to her obituary.
A Bethlehem native, she was married to Chuck Bednarik for 67 years until his death at age 89 in 2015.
A Liberty High School graduate and one-time South Side Bethlehem resident, she was always proud of her Bethlehem roots, her obituary states. She was part of the The Croatian Tamburitza Band, and she met her husband while performing at the Croatian Club in Bethlehem in 1947, according to her obituary.
Chuck Bednarik taught himself to play multiple instruments, and the two of them made music and attended polka venues through the state. Emma Bednarik was devoted to her five daughters, 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, her obituary states.
Chuck Bednarik died after a brief illness in March 2015. Known as “Concrete Charlie,” he played 14 seasons with the Eagles from 1949-1962, winning championships in 1949 and 1960. He was one of the last great two-way players in the NFL, playing both linebacker and center.
Visitation for Emma Bednarik is scheduled for 9-10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 5050 St. Joseph Road in Coopersburg, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., according to her obituary.