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→Career: politics and funerals
Thanks to a [[1977]] lawsuit by the [[NAACP]], the [[Escambia County Board of County Commissioners]] was forced to hold district-specific elections for seats, giving black politicians a better chance of getting elected. Junior ran for the [[Escambia County District 3|District 3]] seat in [[1983]] and was elected, becoming the first black member of the Commission since Reconstruction.
In [[1986]], Junior and developer [[Jim Cronley]] purchased an old church on [[Alcaniz Street]] and converted it into the [[Junior Funeral Home]]. The business became famous for its "drive-through mortuary," allowing mourners to view the deceased through a window without leaving their vehicle. Junior later purchased Cronley's 49-percent share.<ref>"Political scandal casts shadow on the future of a man with three jobs." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 11, 2002.</ref>The building has since been converted back into a church known as the Mission Anglican Church.
Junior lived outside his means: he leased Corvettes, bought expensive suits and took frequent trips. The line between his government career and private life began to blur. He was criticized for sending boxes of government food to the elderly with a card that read, "In the event of my death, please notify Junior Funeral Home."<ref name="dubiousdemise"/> He had extramarital girlfriends on whom he lavished expensive gifts he could not afford. One woman claimed he found her a job with the County, then had her fired when their affair ended.<ref name="dubiousdemise"/>
