Mirta McGruder

Mirta “Maxine” McGruder, of Springfield, passed away, surrounded by her family in her home on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. She was 90 years old. 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 had two children, Brent and Gail. She loved being a mother; she attended all of Brent and Gail’s events, rehearsals, and tournaments. If the kids were there, so was she.
Her ultimate joy came from her family, her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She cherished family time, taking them to the zoo, on day trips to the Discovery Center, and even holding “Gran Camp”. Family and Jesus, that is what she cherished. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior when she was just 8 years old. She is a lifetime member of Hopewell Baptist Church in Republic and has faithfully attended services there since she was a young girl.
She spent much time traveling, taking numerous trips with family and friends both nationally and internationally, having been to Europe, Canada, Costa Rico, and much of the United States, which she loved so much.
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.
She 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.