Theodore R. Scott Jr., of Deerfield, passed away on Nov. 13, 2010.

Ted was born in Mt. Vernon, IL on Dec. 7, 1924, where he became the town tennis, ping-pong and billiards champion and valedictorian of his high school class.

He served his country in World War II, joining the 15th Army Air Corps (461st Bomb Group) as a B-24 navigator, becoming a lieutenant at age 19. On his 21st mission, he and his crew were shot down over West Hungary. Ted was a prisoner of war in Germany for 89 days until he was liberated at the end of the war in Europe.

Ted graduated Phi Betta Kappa and earned his juris doctor degree from the University of Illinois.

He served as a law clerk to Judge Walter C. Lindley of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He became an intellectual property litigator, spending the majority of his career as named partner in the law firm of McDougall, Hersh & Scott in Chicago, which later merged with Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue. Ted remained of counsel to Jones Day until 1998. In a notable case, American Thermos Products Company v. Aladdin Industries, Inc., Ted successfully argued the term "thermos" was not subject to trademark rights, and was instead a generic description of a vacuum insulated container.

Ted was a fellow to the American College of Trial Lawyers, past president of the Patent Law Association of Chicago and past president of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Bar Association.

He was a member of the Union League Club of Chicago and Exmoor Country Club of Highland Park.

Ted was a lifelong Cubs fan, despite growing up in Cardinals country.

He was an avid Abraham Lincoln and Civil War buff.

Many jazz musicians called him friend. He was an ardent traveler, whether it would be to World War II sites, family gatherings or peewee football games.

Ted will be greatly missed and dearly remembered by his wife, Ariel O'Hara; his children, Anne (Daniel) Laurence, Sarah (Robert) Buckland, Daniel Scott and Barbara (Richard) Gomon; his grandchildren, Scott Buckland, Alison Laurence, Corey and Michael Gomon and Kaitlyn Scott; four step-children; 17 step-grandchildren; and his feline friend, Ozzie.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Virginia, nee Scott, Scott; his parents, Theodore R. Scott Sr. and Beulah, nee Flannigan, Scott; and his sister, Gene Upchurch.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010 at Exmoor Country Club, 700 Vine Ave., Highland Park, IL. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ted's memory may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Rd. SW, Lilburn, GA 30047 or to the University of Illinois Foundation, 1305 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801. For info or directions please call Kelley & Spalding Funeral Home at (847) 831-4260 or www.kelleyspaldingfuneralhome.com.

Submitted by: Mary Zinzilieta