John Alfred Womack Jr.

John Alfred Womack, Jr. January 31, 1931- December 14, 2010 John Womack, Jr., resident of Long Beach, passed away on Tuesday, December 14. He was born in Halifax County, VA and served in the Navy from 1950 to 1954 during the Korean War. After the war, John moved to California in 1957. There he met his future wife, Almeta, and they were married in May of 1960. A driven entrepreneur with a love and interest in animals, he started his first business in Bellflower in 1964; a retail tropical fish and pet store called Tiki's Tropical Fish. John was recognized for his ingenuity and innovation in the retail pet industry, and at one time Tiki's had three bustling locations in the Southern California area. He owned and managed Tiki's for over 30 years, retiring in 1995. He also created and operated two other businesses. One that built and sold aquarium stands to local pet stores, and a second, called Century Trend that manufactured quality bedroom furniture for water bed retailers around the country. In all of his business dealings John was known for his honesty and integrity. After retiring in 1995, John returned to a hobby he had enjoyed as a young teen; raising and racing homing pigeons. Not satisfied with just racing, he was also the president of the Compton Pigeon Club for four years and was one of the main organizers of the AU2006 National Convention. He enjoyed the raising and breeding of pigeons, the competition of the race, and the camaraderie of his fellow pigeon racers and club members. He was active with his hobby up until the day he passed away. John made many personal friends and business associates during his life. He was always a personable and enthusiastic person, ready to share a personal story or experience. He was a "renaissance man" in all areas of his life; a self-starter with a lot of common sense and ability to figure things out. He instilled in his children, by example, the value and importance of hard work, honesty and integrity when dealing with others. He enjoyed time with his family, especially on their long road trips across the United States. John is survived by his wife, Almeta; their three sons, Mark, Bryan and Kevin; two grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Lucille Thurman, Bob Womack, Judy Collier, Gerald Womack, and Kenny Womack. A private memorial service will he held in January.