Junior E. (Jay) Carr, 86, Minot, died Sunday, July 1, 2012 in a Minot Nursing Home.

Junior was born January 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, Florida 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, SD he met and married Alice Pearl Basom on May 16, 1948 at Sturgis, SD. 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 and moved to Minot that year. 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 over 25 years. During that period, they also owned and operated the King Koin Laundromat on Third Street NE in Minot as well as partnered a laundromat and carwash in Jamestown, ND.

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 ND 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; David Carr, Rapid City, SD; grandchildren, Heather (John) Lofgren, Vancouver, WA; Adam (Christie) Carr, Speculator, NY; and Jonathan (Amy) Carr, Minot, ND; great-grandchildren, Allison and John David Lofgren and Ashley Carr.

Funeral service : Friday, July 6, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. in Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.
Interment: Monday, July 9, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. in Black Hills National Cemetery, RR Sturgis, SD.
Visitation : Thursday from 3:00-7:00 pm in the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot, with a public prayer service to be held Thursday at 7:30pm in the Thomas Family Funeral Home.
Memorials : preferred to Disabled American Veterans.