'''Willie J. Junior''' ([[1942]] - [[2004]]) was a prominent African-American businessman, founder of the [[Junior Funeral Home]], and the first black member of the [[Escambia County Commission]] since the Reconstruction era. He was removed from office in [[2002]] for his part in the [[soccer complex corruption scandal]], in which he took a $90,000 bribe from fellow Commissioner [[W. D. Childers]] to vote on a County land purchase later deemed inappropriate. He was convicted on corruption charges, but disappeared before being sentenced. His body was discovered on [[December 9]], [[2004]] under the home of a former employee.
==Early life==Born in [[1942]]Big help, Junior grew up in a [[Segregation|segregated]] Pensacola. He joined the Army, but was honorably discharged two years laterbig help. He then enrolled in the [[University And suprelative news of West Florida]], where he began the school's first black student union.<ref name="dubiousdemise">"[http://www.sptimes.com/2005/01/23/State/A_dubious_demise.shtml State: A dubious demise.]" ''St. Petersburg Times'', January 23, 2005.</ref> Junior met his future wife, [[Abbie Junior|Abbie]], while working at a local hospital. They married in [[1966]] and had a daughter in [[1970]]. In [[1975]], Junior was hired by the non-profit [[Community Action Program]] to help distribute food to the needy, for which he became known as "The Cheese Mancourse."<ref name="dubiousdemise"/>
==Career: politics and funerals==