Mirta McGruder

Mirta “Maxine” McGruder, 90, of Springfield, passed away, surrounded by her family in her home on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. Born in Republic, to Frank and Mirta (Mooneyham) Butler, on Jan. 17, 1935, she was the youngest of four children.
She graduated from Republic High School with the class of 1952. She went on to attend Draughons’ Business School. On Aug. 5, 1960, she married Ken McGruder, and this union was blessed with two children, Brent and Gail.
Her ultimate joy came from her family, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She is a lifetime member of Hopewell Baptist Church in Republic and has faithfully attended services there since she was a young girl.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Mirta Butler, and her siblings, Wayne Butler, Ray Butler, and Jewell Wimmer, nephews Jeff Carr, David Treat and Kevin Butler and a niece Janet (Butler) Sanders.
Maxine is survived by her children, Brent (Monica) McGruder, and Gail (Lane) Shumaker; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; as well as other extended family and countless friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to GetREAL (www.getrealu.org or 13015 S 14th St, Fort Smith, AR. 72901) or to St. Jude Children’s Hospital (www.stjude.org/donate). A visitation was scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, from 5 – 7 p.m. at Meadors Funeral in Republic. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Meadors Funeral Home. Maxine was laid to rest beside her parents in Wade Chapel Cemetery.