She worked 20 years at Walmart. She’d sing gospel songs while keeping the shoe and infant departments in order. Customers would come up to hear her sing. Some would ask her to pray for them. Same with fellow workers.

We called it “The Walmart Church.” Four different Walmart managers (current and past) went to her funeral, along with at least 20 of her co-workers.

Gloria had some health problems. She couldn’t drive. Roberta and I took turns taking her to and from her job. The day before she died, I picked her up at the Fairlawn Walmart. We stopped to eat at Rockne’s, one of her favorite Akron restaurants. We were singing a gospel song called “Zion is Calling Me” while driving home.

The next morning, I was scheduled to drive her to work. Roberta always gave her a wake-up call. The phone rang and rang. No answer. Roberta called several times.

Roberta had a bad feeling: “I’m afraid you’re going to find her on the floor.”

That’s exactly what happened. I let myself into her home. She had died several hours earlier.

Gloria had battled a major form of epilepsy for much of her life. We had seen her have seizures before – at least a dozen times in the 25 years.

That is what killed her at the age of 67.

Gathering at a grave site

I met three of her family members at the grave site. He brother Darnell Hardison picked out the grave stone. Her niece Darnetta Bledsoe brought a flower. Darnetta often visits family members’ grave sites. It’s a comfort to her.

Gloria’s nephews Dominic Bledsoe and Domanaire Bledsoe also were there. They helped me clean up the gravestone. They took pictures. We held hands and prayed, thanking God for bringing Gloria into our lives.

Roberta had two appointments on Monday and couldn’t be there. We sent pictures to friends of Gloria.

We talked about Gloria’s singing and how she loved working at Walmart. Earlier, Roberta and I told stories of how we first met Gloria “in jail.” She was ministering on her own at Portage County Jail when Roberta and I arrived there.

Soon, we had Gloria join us. Within a year, her mother (Melva Hardison) became like a mother to both of us. There is a sense of sadness when at a grave site, but there also are the memories.

I want to hear your story

I read an article by Pastor John Piper called “Should Christians Visit Cemeteries?“

He had warnings that people can be caught up in some strange spiritual stuff. But overall, there are a lot of benefits.

A basic one is that it’s usually quiet, a great place to think and pray. It’s also a place to weep, if you feel like it. It can be a place to show respect.

I remember visiting my father’s grave during the pandemic, and it was great to be outside. Tom Pluto died on Feb. 7, 1998. It was his 78th birthday.

On that sunny day in 2020, I looked down and noticed he was born in 1920 … that was 100 years ago. That never would have occurred to me unless I had been there with Roberta.

I understand some people have personal reasons why they don’t go to cemeteries. I usually fell into that group. This is a judgment-free zone.

But if you go, tell me about it. Why do you go? What do you get out of it? This for a follow-up story. Please keep the comments short. I’ll use your first name.

Send them to me [email protected].

Put “cemetery” in the subject line.