The world lost a shining light when John Edward Pajkos died in Sandwich, Illinois on June 20, 2024 after a short battle with leukemia. John was born on July 23, 1942 in Chicago IL the only child of John E. Pajkos and Elizabeth Machalica, and grew up in the Slovakian community in the “Back of the Yards” neighborhood. He had a million stories about the neighborhood, and about attending the Catholic schools of that era. He graduated from St. Rita’s Catholic High School, attended Eastern Illinois University, and completed a Master’s Degree in Education in 1967. In 1970 he began teaching at Francis Parker School in Chicago, where he met Molly Donahue, and eventually became a part of her family. John and Molly were married on November 1, 1980. John became a much-loved stepfather to Adam and Jason Donahue, and a beloved uncle to the extended clan of McGuinn cousins. John welcomed Adam’s wife Darla to the family, then Jason’s wife Jackie, and was the kindest of grandfathers to their daughter Riley Donahue.
For many years, John and Molly split their time between Chicago during the school year and Molly’s family farm in Leland during the summers. Their shared love of experiential education and a drive to be supportive and creative teachers was a real bond between John and Molly. John’s creativity in the classroom, as well as his innate kindness and supportive nature made him one of his students’ favorite teachers. After leaving Parker School in 1988, John worked for his friend Jan Dee in her jewelry business. John was a talented artist, always noodling around with watercolors, or drawing cartoons, and he loved helping people design custom jewelry pieces. In addition, his social nature was perfect for retail. While John was never involved with horses, as were Molly and the rest of the family, John loved spending summers in Leland. He had no happier place than out on the deck, looking over the green fields of summer. A highlight of summers in Leland was the annual Labor Day parties he and Molly threw, where John, as Commodore of the Little Indian Creek Yacht Club was in charge of the highly competitive homemade boat races through the pasture.
In 2000 John moved to Leland full time, in part to help care for Molly’s mother, Jane Ripley McGuinn, known to all as “Mommy Jane”. The entire extended family will always be grateful to John for his patience, good humor, and genuine love for her in that last decade of her life.
It was during this time that John started working as a substitute teacher, mainly in the Leland Community Schools, as well as the surrounding area, a job he kept up until failing health forced him to stop in 2023. Unlike most substitutes John was comfortable with students of all ages, from kindergarten to all academic areas in high school. John was much loved for his creative lesson plans, his sense of humor, and for the way he followed students across their educational years, encouraging them to discover and follow their interests. Early in his substitute career, he acquired the nickname “Mr.Pickles” when a student in the kindergarten could not pronounce Pajkos, and his collection of pickle memorabilia was a testament to the way he embraced life as it came to him. John did so much for the Leland School District, from supervising the senior plays, to starting three-week experiential summer programs sponsored by the Lions, and providing a local experiential program for the fourth and fifth graders who did not attend the school trip to the Lorado Taft outdoor education center.
In Leland, John also became involved in the Lions Club, an organization that suited his lifelong belief in doing service, as well as his genial and social nature. He helped found and participate in many of the special activities sponsored by the Lions Club in Leland. Although he was never one to toot his own horn, he was very proud of all the good work they accomplished over the years. John eventually rose through the organization, becoming District Governor. He was awarded the District Governor’s Appreciation Medal, Lions of Illinois Foundation Fellow, Melvin Jones Award, and the International Presidents Certificate of Appreciation. He was an important, contributing member of the Lions Federation. John was also a fixture at the Sandwich Fair every year, working in the office and selling tickets.
John was an enormously kind and thoughtful man, who touched so many people with his supportive nature and his sunny outlook on life. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. A celebration of life will be held at a future date. For more information or to sign the online guestbook go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com
Memorial contributions in John's name may be made to the Leland Lions Club to support their community activities.
Turner-Eighner Funeral Homes
13160 W. Rt 34 ~ P.O. Box 404
Somonauk, IL 60552
815-498-2363
For many years, John and Molly split their time between Chicago during the school year and Molly’s family farm in Leland during the summers. Their shared love of experiential education and a drive to be supportive and creative teachers was a real bond between John and Molly. John’s creativity in the classroom, as well as his innate kindness and supportive nature made him one of his students’ favorite teachers. After leaving Parker School in 1988, John worked for his friend Jan Dee in her jewelry business. John was a talented artist, always noodling around with watercolors, or drawing cartoons, and he loved helping people design custom jewelry pieces. In addition, his social nature was perfect for retail. While John was never involved with horses, as were Molly and the rest of the family, John loved spending summers in Leland. He had no happier place than out on the deck, looking over the green fields of summer. A highlight of summers in Leland was the annual Labor Day parties he and Molly threw, where John, as Commodore of the Little Indian Creek Yacht Club was in charge of the highly competitive homemade boat races through the pasture.
In 2000 John moved to Leland full time, in part to help care for Molly’s mother, Jane Ripley McGuinn, known to all as “Mommy Jane”. The entire extended family will always be grateful to John for his patience, good humor, and genuine love for her in that last decade of her life.
It was during this time that John started working as a substitute teacher, mainly in the Leland Community Schools, as well as the surrounding area, a job he kept up until failing health forced him to stop in 2023. Unlike most substitutes John was comfortable with students of all ages, from kindergarten to all academic areas in high school. John was much loved for his creative lesson plans, his sense of humor, and for the way he followed students across their educational years, encouraging them to discover and follow their interests. Early in his substitute career, he acquired the nickname “Mr.Pickles” when a student in the kindergarten could not pronounce Pajkos, and his collection of pickle memorabilia was a testament to the way he embraced life as it came to him. John did so much for the Leland School District, from supervising the senior plays, to starting three-week experiential summer programs sponsored by the Lions, and providing a local experiential program for the fourth and fifth graders who did not attend the school trip to the Lorado Taft outdoor education center.
In Leland, John also became involved in the Lions Club, an organization that suited his lifelong belief in doing service, as well as his genial and social nature. He helped found and participate in many of the special activities sponsored by the Lions Club in Leland. Although he was never one to toot his own horn, he was very proud of all the good work they accomplished over the years. John eventually rose through the organization, becoming District Governor. He was awarded the District Governor’s Appreciation Medal, Lions of Illinois Foundation Fellow, Melvin Jones Award, and the International Presidents Certificate of Appreciation. He was an important, contributing member of the Lions Federation. John was also a fixture at the Sandwich Fair every year, working in the office and selling tickets.
John was an enormously kind and thoughtful man, who touched so many people with his supportive nature and his sunny outlook on life. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. A celebration of life will be held at a future date. For more information or to sign the online guestbook go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com
Memorial contributions in John's name may be made to the Leland Lions Club to support their community activities.
Turner-Eighner Funeral Homes
13160 W. Rt 34 ~ P.O. Box 404
Somonauk, IL 60552
815-498-2363
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