Bernice

Gilchrist

Bernice (Glass) Gilchrist was born November 8, 1931, in Yancopin, AR, to the union of Charles and Alberta (Nelson) Glass. She departed this life at Hospice of Northwest Ohio on March 20, 2025.

As a young girl, Bernice moved from Yancopin to Pine Bluff, AR, where she lived for a short while with her son Joe. Later, as a young lady, she moved to Toledo, OH, with her oldest sister, Charlie Mae, and brother-in-law, Willie. She eventually made Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church her church home for 40+ years. Bernice worked many odd jobs before landing at Executive Towers, cleaning upscale apartments until retirement. Bernice took pride in her career at Executive Towers. She always put her all into any job that she did, and this would lead to many of the residents requesting her services specifically. Sometime after moving to Toledo, Bernice met the love of her life, Ernest Gilchrist, who later became her husband of 45+ years until his death. They shared a bond like no other; they had the type of marriage one would envy. Every morning, Bernice would be up with Ernie, helping him get ready for work by cooking his breakfast and fixing his lunch until it was time for her to go to work. They always worked as a team. Bernice loved to cook, bake, and do her canning. One thing she was always going to do was prepare her deep freezer and pantry. She would always say she didn't need to keep going to the store. She loved to go to the greens field, always taking her three great-grandkids (Steven, Tre & Ari) and giving them each a garbage bag to fill up with greens. One of her ways of making sure the deep freezer was packed for the winter. Then, next, she would pick peaches, apples, and tomatoes for canning. Bernice was very proud of her Southern upbringing, and she loved talking about it with her offspring. She wanted to make sure they understood where she came from and how she was raised. One thing about Bernice is that she was a very selfless person. There was nothing she wouldn't do for anyone, no matter who you were, whether she knew you or not. She was always helping with her grandkids, great-grandkids, and great-great-grandkids. If Bernice didn't do anything else, she instilled in her offspring the meaning of hard work.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ernest Gilchrist, son Joe Edward Martin, and grandsons Jomar Martin and Dion Lewis.

She leaves to cherish her memory daughter Kathryn Pryor, son Larry (Suzette) Gilchrist, grandchildren Rodney (Treva) Martin, Sharita Martin, Shaundra Pryor, LeWanda Martin, Elleana Martin, Janee Martin, Melynda Martin, Joey Martin, and Kionna Lewis, 16 great-grandkids, two great-great-grandkids, sister-in-law I.T. Glass, and a host of nieces and nephews.