Gloria B. Barnette

BARNETTE, Gloria B., 91, of Springfield, passed away April 2, 2026 surrounded by her family. She was born January 28, 1935, in Pike County, KY the daughter of the late Sollie and Chloe (Tackett) Hudson.

Gloria was the kind of woman whose love was most often felt in the ordinary moments that became unforgettable because she was in them, a warm kitchen, a full table, a garden carefully tended, a quiet prayer offered for someone else, or a meal prepared simply because she knew someone needed to be fed.

She was deeply sweet, deeply faithful, and deeply motherly, a woman whose life was defined by caring for others without ever asking for attention in return. Her kindness was steady and natural, woven into everything she did. Whether through her words, her cooking, her prayers, or the way she made people feel welcome, Gloria carried a warmth that stayed with people long after they left her presence.

Gloria came from a large family and carried those roots proudly throughout her life. She was the last living member of her immediate family, carrying with her generations of stories, memories, and family history that she shared so generously with those she loved.

Her faith remained one of the strongest foundations of her life. She was a former member of Beatty Free Will Baptist Church, later continuing her faith journey with Forest Valley Free Will Baptist Church after the churches merged. Her relationship with God shaped how she lived — with humility, compassion, resilience, and a heart that always turned outward.

One of the defining loves of Gloria’s life was her marriage. She often shared that “B” was her first boyfriend, the boy next door who became the love of her life. Their story began young, growing up side by side, slipping around to see each other as children before marrying in the living room of her family home when she was just eighteen years old. It was a simple beginning to a lifelong love story that remained one of the great anchors of her life.

Gloria loved people through food. She was an exceptional cook whose meals became part of family memory. Her green beans were especially loved, and her kitchen became one of the places where her care was most deeply felt. Gardening and canning were also part of who she was — not simply hobbies, but expressions of her nurturing spirit. Even though cancer took strength from her body, it did not take her desire to care for others. She still thought about her garden. She still cooked. She still gave.

That giving nature remained with her until the very end. One of her final requests was not for herself, but for prayer for her family — a final reflection of the heart she had always carried: always thinking first of those she loved.

Gloria leaves behind her children, Carol (David) Wildman, Jeff (Christina) Barnette, and Jack (Diane) Barnette; her grandchildren, Melinda, Brittany, Stephanie, Celsie, Charles, and Hailey; and her great-grandchildren, Harley, Brayden, Caiden, and Arthur, along with extended family, dear friends, and many whose lives were made better simply by knowing her.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, H.G. “B” Barnette, her parents; her son Donnie; and her siblings Lavier, Lonier, Collie, Vonier, Justine, June, Lydia (Liddie), Lara Bernice, Neva Jo, Deforest, Elizabeth (Pat), and Irma Lee.

Gloria leaves behind a legacy of faith, strength, devotion, and everyday love — the kind that lives on in family recipes, gardens planted, prayers whispered, and in the countless memories of being cared for by her.

She was deeply loved, and she will be deeply missed.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday in Forest Valley Free Will Baptist Church, 1821 Troy Rd., Springfield, Ohio 45504. Visitation will be held one hour prior in the church. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Burial Park.