Obituary of Donald R. Des Jardin

Des Jardin- Donald Robert, longtime resident of Northport, NY, on Sunday, January 29, 2023 in his 97th year. Born in Niagara Falls, NY to the late Wilfred and Echsa (Fraser) Des Jardin. Predeceased by his beloved wife Dorothy (Deweese) and his daughter Marsha (Eugene Fields). Loving father of Susan (Michael) Angstrom, Richard (The Late Arleen) Des Jardin, and Joseph (Alisa) Des Jardin. Cherished by his nine grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Fond brother of Mike (Ruth) Des Jardin and Margaret (Larry) Barclay. Predeceased by his dear sisters Mona (Ward) Rynearson and Joan (John) Kilmer.

Donald served in the Navy near the end of WW II and was in Radar School when the war ended. He and Dorothy married and settled in NYC where he studied to be a Mechanical Engineer at Cooper Union, his beloved alma mater. He moved his family to Long Island where he worked in electronics and was an early pioneer in the development of transistors and semiconductors, serving as vice president of Silicon Transistor Corp. in Mineola, NY.

Donald had a lifelong love of mathematics and the sciences. His many interests and hobbies included astronomy, lathe work (making oversized chess pieces), making stringed instruments (dulcimers, violins), faceting gemstones, building and flying radio-controlled model airplanes, making marionettes, fly fishing, breeding chickens for blue eggs and golden pheasants for beauty, etc. In later years he studied a number of languages including Persian and Arabic, and was learning Algebraic Geometry in partnership with his son Richard. Donald was a truly unique person and his passing is a great loss to his family.

Funeral Services were private.