Howard “Junior” Williams Jr., 87, of Colfax died Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, at Skiff Medical Center in Newton.

A funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at the Howard Street Christian Church with burial following at McKeever Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. today, Feb. 18, at the church with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the ITBOA Scholarship Fund or the Colfax Fire Department. Condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com.

The son of Howard Williams Sr. and Ruth (Meckley) Williams, Junior was born on Feb. 11, 1926, in rural Colfax. He graduated from Colfax High School in 1943. Junior served in the United States Air Force. On Jan. 6, 1950, he was united in marriage to Shirley C. Brown in Des Moines. Junior owned and operated the Jasper County Tribune for 45 years. He also worked at the post office for 15 years and Prairie Meadows for 17 years. Junior was a member of the Howard Street Christian Church, the Typographical Union, Iowa Newspaper Association, served on the Colfax Mingo School Board where he served as president and was a long-time member of the Jasper County Fair Board. He also served as president of the Colfax Chamber of Commerce and the Colfax Country Club. Junior was an avid bowler and golfer. He enjoyed horseback riding and was a long-time breeder and owner of Thoroughbred horses, which he mainly ran in the Midwest. Junior was also an Iowa State Cyclone fan.