Elder Gloria Inez Walker Cross, 75, died Sunday, April 18, 2021 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

She was born in Davidson County to Elmer Holmes, Sr. and Grace Evelyn Walker Vinson on July 27, 1945. She was a graduate of Dunbar High School class of 1964. Elder Cross graduated from Rowan – Cabarrus Community College in 1991 where she received her Diploma in nursing. For 15 years she was employed at the W.G. "Bill" Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, NC. "Nurse Cross," which so many of her patients affectionately called her, worked extensively in the Mental Health Behavior Science Dept. with the PTSD program, serving WWII, Korean Conflict, Vietnam and Persian Gulf Veterans. She retired in 2013 from the VA Medical Center Out-Patient Clinic in Winston-Salem.

Elder Cross began her ministry over 30 years ago at Union Chapel Church. In 1985, she was ordained and licensed by the late Rev. Harvey Lanier. Several months later, Minister Cross was ordained an Elder where she was the 2nd woman in the state of NC to hold this title in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. She served for 16 years in the Adventist faith and as Head Elder for 10 years in Lexington at New Life Seventh Day Adventist Church on Cotton Grove Rd under the South Atlantic Conference. Elder Cross was Overseer of On the Wings of a Dove ministry where she served for the past 19 years.

She worked in her community as a leader with adults and youth. She served as a 4-H counselor, with CIS and as a therapeutic foster parent with Professional Parenting of Appalachian State University. She was a member of the NAACP Davidson County Branch where she was currently serving as Vice President. She was also a member of the HOPE Organization, Executive Board of DCCA, the Democratic Women of Davidson County and Lexington Community Ministers' Conference.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her step-father, Clifford Vinson; three sisters: Yvonia Vinson, Patricia W. Dalton and Ethel Holmes Black and two brothers, Stephen "Big House" Vinson and Elmer Holmes, Jr.

She leaves to cherish her memory two children, Constance (Anthony Johnson) Cross and Frank (Elizabeth) Cross, Jr.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; two brothers, Anthony "Jake" Vinson and Oliver "T-Bag" (Jackie) Vinson; two sisters, Miriam V. Martin and Victoria Vinson; a brother-in-law, Bruce (Robbie) Cross; six sisters-in-law: Allison Vinson, Carolyn Vinson-Smith, Marie Cross, Mildred Cross, Bonnie Kay Williams and Louzenia Clodfelter and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Funeral service will be Sunday at Breeden Insurance Amphitheater at 2:00pm. Burial will follow in Lexington City Cemetery. Public viewing will be Saturday from 1:00pm-6:00pm at Roberts Funeral Service.