James N. Bay Sr., muffin company chief

James N. Bay Sr., 74, president of Bay's English Muffin Corp.,died Wednesday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

A North Shore resident, he became head of the family-runbusiness in 1968.

Bay's was founded by his family in a Loop bakery in 1933. Afew years later, Bay's became the first to package muffins incellophane.During his tenure, Mr. Bay was approached by Ray Kroc ofMcDonald's. Kroc proposed that Mr. Bay's Chicago-based companyprovide English muffins for a new dish called the Egg McMuffin. Mr.Bay sold his product to the hamburger chain until 1984.Mr. Bay served in the Army Air Forces in World War II. Heattended Northwestern University and graduated from the AmericanaInstitute of Baking. In 1951, he joined Bay's.He is survived by two sons, James Jr. and George, and twograndchildren.Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. Friday at Blake-LambFuneral Home, 1035 N. Dearborn. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturdayat St. Chrysostom Church, 1424 N. Dearborn.