Junior E. "Jay" Carr, 86, Minot, died Sunday, July 1, 2012, in a Minot nursing home.
Junior was born Jan. 3, 1926, in Austin, Texas, and adopted as the son of Walter Clarke Carr and Jessie Ellen Carr on April 4, 1927. He was raised and educated as a son of Shockley DeWitt Mullinex and Jessie Ellen Mullinex in Tampa, Fla., where he entered into active duty service with the U.S. Army at the early age of 14 in 1940 and served in the European/African Theatre of World War II (Junior wanted so badly to be in the service that he wasn't truthful about his actual age). He received his honorable discharge on June 19, 1945, and returned to Florida. Junior was also the recipient of the Purple Heart on July 28, 1943.
After a short period, Junior entered into service with the U.S. Air Force, serving his country stateside in Alaska, Texas and South Dakota and overseas in Puerto Rico and Guam. While stationed in Rapid City, S.D., he met Alice Pearl Basom. He married her on May 16, 1948, at Sturgis, S.D. Two sons were born to their union, James in 1949 and David in 1951. They lived in Rapid City for several years until he retired as a senior master sergeant on June 30, 1967. They moved to Minot that year.
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While living in Rapid City, Junior enjoyed hunting and fishing in the Black Hills with friends and family.
In Minot, they purchased a local laundromat before building North Hill Laundromat and Carwash, which they owned and operated for more than 25 years. During that period, they also owned and operated the King Koin Laundromat on Third Street Northeast in Minot as well as partnering a laundromat and carwash in Jamestown.
Junior was a member of Faith United Methodist Church, Minot, where he served on the board of trustees. He was also a member of the N.D. Laundromat Association, the Retired Military Employees Association and the Minot American Legion Post #26.
Most importantly, Jay was a loving husband and father who also took great pride in his three grandchildren. He was supportive in their lives and their accomplishments. He was an avid reader and coin collector and also enjoyed playing pinochle with friends. He was loved and will be missed.
His loving family includes: wife of 64 years, Alice; sons, Jim (Carol) Carr, Minot, and David Carr, Rapid City, S.D.; grandchildren, Heather (John) Lofgren, Vancouver, Wash., Adam (Christie) Carr, Speculator, N.Y., and Jonathan (Amy) Carr, Minot; great-grandchildren, Allison and John David Lofgren and Ashley Carr.
Funeral service: Friday, July 6, at 11 a.m. in Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.
Interment: Monday, July 9, at 11 a.m. in Black Hills National Cemetery, rural Sturgis, S.D.
Visitation: Today, Thursday, from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot, with a public prayer service Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the funeral home.
Memorials are preferred to Disabled American Veterans.
Those wishing to sign the online memorial register or share memories are invited to use the expressions of sympathy section at (www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com).
