William McGruder

O BITUARY W ILLIAM E. M C G RUDER was born October 16, 1953 in Tuskegee, Alabama to the parents of Woodrow and Jerline McGruder. He attended Washington Public School and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Tuskegee Institute. For over twenty-one years he worked as an engineer for Texas Instruments in Sherman, Texas. In 2003, he and his wife Virginia relocated to Tuscon, Arizona where he worked as a Chief Engineer for Raytheon Missile and Defense for twenty-two years until his retirement. He was extremely passionate about serving his Lord and Savior and his family, (basketball and football), serving as a Deacon of the Rising Star Ministries, organizing events to strengthen black men and working on Raytheon’s Paveway Missiles and Defense Program. After fighting a good fight against Leukemia, William departed this earthly life on July 30, 2023 to begin his eternal life in Heaven with His heavenly father and family members who have gone before him. He leaves behind to cherish his memories: his loving wife of 40 years Virginia McGruder of Marshall, Texas; his daughter, Sundye Nicole Hayden (husband Cleo Hayden) of Greenville, Texas; sons Darwin Wallace (Sekethia) of Dallas, Texas and Kealon Wallace of Fairfax, Virginia; three brothers Ira Glen, Lorenzo and Quinton of Tuskegee, Alabama; 8 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren and his extended church family from Rising Star to include Charles “X” and Patricia Merriex, Tommy and Linda Jackson, Pete and Tina Cordell, Watus and Fran Cooper and a numerous amount of brothers and sisters-in-law, cousins, dear friends, colleagues, nieces and nephews.