Donald Frederick Jaycox was born to tinker. “He was about 4 years old when he took apart his first mechanical clock or whatever,” said Nancy, his wife of 52 years. “He was always taking things apart and putting them back together.” Mr. Jaycox, 76, of Riverwoods died of complications from surgery Thursday, Sept. 23, in Highland Park Hospital. He was an Army veteran who served in the postwar occupation of Japan, his wife said. After he came home, he graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology. In 41 years at Cook Electric Co., which was bought by Northern Telecom, Mr. Jaycox helped develop radio direction finders for NASA and information-handling devices for the telephone industry, earning several patents. A native of Oak Park, he also kept busy with his 13 children, coaching sports and helping with the Boy Scouts. After retirement, he enjoyed building and flying radio-controlled model airplanes. Other survivors include 11 sons, Tom, Steve, Richard, Don, Tim, Bill, Mike, Dave, Mark, Chris and Matt; a daughter, Nancy Adeszko; two brothers, William and Robert; four sisters, Marion, Anne, Janet and Susan Walsh; and 24 grandchildren. Visitation will be held Sunday from 2 to 7 p.m. in Kelly & Spaulding Funeral Home, 1787 Deerfield Rd., Highland Park. Mass will be said Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Patrick’s Church, 950 W. Everett Rd., Lake Forest. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Wilderness Society, the Environmental Defense Fund or The Salvation Army.
