Lester "Mac" McGraw

Lester E. “Mac” McGraw, Jr. peacefully passed away on Nov. 29, 2024, at Crestpark of Stuttgart at the age of 97. He was born Feb. 19, 1927, in DeWitt to Lester E. McGraw Sr. and Lillian Childers McGraw.

Mac graduated from DeWitt High School in 1944 and from the University of Tennessee School of Pharmacy in 1947. He was very proud to be the youngest pharmacist in Arkansas at the age of 20. He was associated with Coker-Hampton Drug stores as early as 1942 where he worked the soda fountain in the DeWitt store. After graduating college in 1947, he then moved to Stuttgart where he began his pharmacy career. He retired as a pharmacist and co-owner of Coker Hampton Drug Store in Stuttgart in 1993. 

Mac was an Amry veteran serving in the Korean War from 1950-1952. In 1953, he married Joan Mullins McGraw. He spent many years showing Great Dane dogs. He enjoyed ballroom dancing as well as country western dancing. He also enjoyed going to the casino with his life-long friend Earl Asher.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Joan, his brother Maurice and his sister Juanita Odell Smith.

Survivors are his son, Martin (Carolyn) McGraw; two granddaughters, Brooke (Mark) Glover of Little Rock and Shelby (Michael) Bardwell of Springdale; and four great-grandchildren, Addison, Harper and Weston Glover and Beckett Bardwell.

Mac was one who did not like a lot of attention and wanted his passing to be “just another day”. A private family burial will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to DeWitt Methodist Church, 608 S. Grandview Dr., DeWitt, Ark. 72042; or to the Stuttgart Public Library.

Please go to www.turpin-co.com to sign the online guestbook.