Sikeston Walmart greeter pens book about people he’s met on the job

Garry Warner of Sikeston flips through the manuscript of his first book, “Musings of a Walmart Greeter” while having coffee Monday, July 15 at the Ground-A-Bout in Sikeston.

Gina Curtis/Standard Democrat

SIKESTON — Garry Warner, a Walmart greeter from Sikeston, discovered a passion for writing in recent years, which has led to the publication of his first book, “Musings of a Walmart Greeter.”

Warner said the book is currently in the final stages of editing and will be released sometime in October through Acclaim Press.

Walmart greeters are responsible for waiting at the front door of a Walmart store and greeting all customers who enter, and Warner’s book provides a glimpse into what it’s like to be a greeter through his eyes. 

Warner explained his testimony, including how he became a Walmart greeter and came up with the idea for the book. 

According to Warner, when his first wife, Shirley, died in 2010, he became depressed and began journaling.

Photo provided Pictured is the cover of Sikeston resident Garry Warner’s book, “Musings of a Walmart Greeter.”

“My doctor, Cully Bryant, who is also a family friend, asked how I was doing and recommended journaling,” Warner said. “I spent 45 years in the car business, and I had never journaled and I was no expert on it.”

As a result of their conversation, Warner said he went home and began writing down memories of his first wife, with whom he was married to 39 years before her death.

“That writing kind of morphed into still writing about her, but writing about other things, too, just whatever was on my mind,” Warner said. 

Warner had been journaling for a few years, and one night a couple of friends came by to check on him, and his computer was on the table, and his friend noticed it and asked to read some of his journaling.

“So, I let her read it while I sat there and talked to her husband,” Warner said. “As we set there talking, she interrupted us and had her husband read it, too. So he read it, too, and they both told me that I had a talent and that I should share it.”

Warner said as a Christian, he decided to pray about his talent, and weeks later, he attended a church service where his pastor, Jennifer Moxley, was preaching, and she said something that stood out to him. 

“She said, ‘Everybody has a story,’ and then I said, ‘You’re talking to me, God, and I need to listen,” Warner said.

Two weeks later, Warner was checking out at Walmart when the idea occurred to him. 

“I looked up and thought, ‘They are all in here; everybody has a story in here,’” Warner said. 

Two months later, Warner applied for a job as a Walmart greeter, which was back in October of 2016.

“Everybody thought I was crazy applying for the job and so I went to work at Walmart to write this book,” Warner said.  

Warner has since had many incredible and life-changing experiences with customers who visit Walmart to shop. Warner said it took him about seven years to write the book, and he encountered some difficulties along the way. 

“I got married again in 2019,” Warner said. “I married a lady from the Philippines that I met through Kiwanis.”

Warner said his second wife, Nelia, had a massive stroke in 2020 and that she sadly passed away 2021.

Warner also said in 2022 he had seven surgeries in six months. 

“I went through a lot for a couple years, but you always grow through tough times,” Warner said. “The earthly side of me is sad because I miss two wonderful women, but the heavenly side of me celebrates that they are in heaven.”

Warner’s book has 24 chapters, and in many of them, he discusses personal experiences and stories he has had with customers as a Walmart greeter, as well as a brief history of Walmart. 

One of Warner’s favorite chapters in the book is “Iwo Jima,” which is about a World War II veteran he met while working as a Walmart greeter and who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. 

“The first thing I had noticed was the cap; it had Veteran on it,” Warner said. “And the second thing I noticed was his age, which I thought, ‘He has to be World War II.’

Warner continued: “The book is pretty positive; it is a book that will touch lives,” Warner said. “There is a lot of really powerful stuff in the book. The book is about the people who come and go through Walmart.”

Warner mentioned that he also discussed COVID-19 and how it impacted Walmart.

Warner said some of the chapters about his other encounters with people are tearjerkers, while others in the book will literally make an individual laugh out loud. 

“There is also a chapter about service animals,” Warner said. “I talk about how that is abused, but I also talk about the wonderful things that service animals do.

Warner continued: “I at the time, had the idea for a chapter on service animals but hadn’t really written anything yet and one day there was a service animal that came in who was a Victorian Bulldog, and the dog’s name is Biggie Smalls.”

Warner expressed gratitude for the opportunity to write the book and gave credit to God.

“God is a constant theme throughout the book,” Warner said. “God’s impact on me and the many people that make up this book was the glue that held all these stories together.”

Warner said if anyone is interested in pre-ordering a book, they can pre-order at https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/musings-of-a-walmart-greeter/