Maxine Tanner Earnhardt passed away on February 20, 2026, in Bristow, Oklahoma. She was born on September 7, 1930, in Bixby, Oklahoma to Thorel Stanley Tanner and Pauline Hardgraves Tanner. She was united in marriage to William Robert Earnhardt on May 3rd, 1952. William and Maxine were blessed with two children, Stanley Earnhardt and Joan Root.

Maxine's father died in an oilfield accident when she was very young. She and her sister, Joan, moved to live with their grandparents, Ben and Maggie Hardgraves, on the banks of Snake Creek in Bixby, Oklahoma. Those were extremely hard times for sharecroppers.

Maxine moved back to Bristow after her mother remarried. She attended Bristow school, graduating in 1942. She was employed as a secretary and Assistant Cashier at SpiritBank in Bristow for 30 years.  Maxine loved "family". She often remarked that she did not know what it meant to have a family until she married the Earnhardt's. Maxine loved gardening, feeding the birds, working word puzzles, and especially "family time".

Maxine is survived by her children, Stan and Joanie, her grandchildren, Harley Root, Kristen Root, Matthew Root, Jennifer Rose and Meagann Necessary, ten great grandchildren, and six great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William, her sister Joan Henderson, and two brothers from her mother's later marriage, Wayne Blackford and Paul Blackford.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the good people at Rainbow Assisted Living and Nursing Home who have cared for Maxine over the last 15 years. Especially Nina, Kristy, Mandy, Athena, A.J. and Danielle.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00PM, Saturday, February 28, 2026 at the Hutchins Maples Matherly Funeral Home.