The strongest woman we’ve ever known, Elizabeth “Kay” McGinnis (Maus), passed away on March 29, 2026. She was born on August 7, 1947, to William F. Maus and Ella Mae Maus (Sullivan). She was raised in Springfield, Missouri, on a large farm. Her best friend while growing up was her sister, Ann. When she wasn’t on the family farm, she spent her summers at the family lake house in Cedar Creek, Missouri, on Bull Shoals Lake. She was a talented water skier, fly fisher, and was always the captain of the boat.

Kay was married and moved to Ozark, and through that union she was blessed with her three children, Tammy, Shane, and Lane, and later her granddaughter, who she helped raise, Chantel. She was a very hard worker, a wonderful mother and provider to her children and grandchildren. She worked at Zenith in Springfield until they closed, and then at Fasco in Ozark.

She loved to travel, and we often still laugh and talk about our many adventures. She was a talented gardener and loved to spend her days in the sun, enjoying her beautiful harvest of flowers, vegetables, and herbs. She maintained her love for the water and our family lake house, where we have so many amazing memories of sunny days on the boat. Her grandchildren especially have fond memories of her pulling them on the inner tube.

Kay was the matriarch of her family. She was strong, vivacious, kind, funny, sarcastic, and above all else, loving. She had a special bond with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who spent many days at Mimi’s house, picking and eating vegetables from the garden and not leaving a single ripe grape on her vines.

She loved animals and was a friend to all creatures she would find, or that would find her. She always made holidays special for her family because of her commitment to our vibrant family traditions. She was a wonderful cook and could always be found standing over the sink, snacking on a cookie or a piece of chocolate.

Her absence will leave an unimaginable hole in the hearts of her children and grandchildren, but her love, values, memories, and traditions will live on through
her children: Tammy Carr, Shane McGinnis, and Lane Burks; her grandchildren: Chantel Hall and her husband, Dutch, Timothy Williams and his wife, Rachel, Lynn Nichols and her husband, Adam; Cillian McGinnis, Ben Burks, and Samantha McGinnis; and her great-grandchildren: Aspen, Willow, Coleman, Huxton, Hardin, and Hollis Hall; Dallas and Noah Williams; and Colton and Adalynn Kay Nichols.
She is also survived by her sister, Ann Robertson, and husband, Wendell; their children, Angie, Linda, Jenny, and Allan, as well as many other great nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

A graveside service for Kay McGinnis will be held on Friday, April 3, 2026, 1:00 pm, at Hazelwood Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Greenlawn Funeral Home and Life Tribute Center in Ozark, Missouri.