Angel “Junior” Gonzalo Avila, Jr.

Angel “Junior” Gonzalo Avila, Jr., 77, of Newton died on Friday, November 7, 2025, at MercyOne Des Moines. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory.  A burial will follow at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery with a lunch at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory after. The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Friday, November 14, at the funeral home. Memorials to the Salvation Army Food Pantry or the Wounded Warrior Project may be left at the funeral home.

Junior, the son of Gonzalo and Mary (Galvan) Avila, was born on July 31, 1948, in Newton.  He was a lifelong resident of Newton and graduated from Newton High School in 1967.  After high school, Junior served his country in the U.S. Army during Vietnam.  He received three Bronze Stars, one Silver Star, and a Purple Heart.  On December 17, 1982, Junior was united in marriage with Diana Brown.  He worked for many years at the phone company in Newton and later Grinnell.  Junior and Diana attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  He enjoyed golfing, hunting, and fishing.

Junior is survived by his wife, Diana Avila of Newton; children, Chet (Megan) Williams of Newton, Sam (Vanessa) Avila of Marshalltown, and Genevieve Avila-Henning of Newton; grandchildren, Alissa Williams, Aiden Miller, Colette Williams, Kylie Avila, and Cohen Harter; his siblings, Lena Robison of Des Moines, Cherry (Greg) Vasquez of Chicago, Tony Avila of Newton, Raymond Avila of Newton and Joe (Sherrie) Avila of Grimes; and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his father, Gonzalo Avila; mother, Mary (Lester) Oliver; and son-in-law, Aaron Henning.

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