"I refused to allow myself, or my son, to recieve blood. The hospital was to petition the court in the morning to allow treatment against my wishes, but my son died before it could be accomplished..."
- Buck Parker was just one day old when he died

"Maybe, I will make it to 1975, and I won't have to die."
Color - George Crabtree did not make it to 1975
Welcome
to the
Watchtower Victims Memorial
The Watchtower Victims Memorial is dedicated to the memory of Jehovah's Witnesses and their minor children who died as a result of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society's organizational decrees banning blood transfusions, organ transplants, skin grafts and vaccinations. To add a name to this memorial please contact us.

Note: The Watchtower Victimes Memorial was originated and hosted by another web site several years ago. We have obtained the files and are updating them as time permits.
Unknown Victims
THE NAMES listed in this Memorial constitute only a small sampling of the victims who should be included, according to published statistics. Relatively few cases come to the attention of the news media because a police accident report was involved or because doctors asked courts to intervene. When adult JWs are admitted privately to hospitals and sign legal release papers, their deaths due to refusing blood are generally recorded only in confidential patient files. Published obituaries usually omit such details. Names are listed here if reported in the public news media or if submitted by relatives, friends, or other knowledgeable individuals who vouch for the information. 
  1. Tully Ioannides

    2. Jehovah's Witness, age 18, died December 19, 1998, after refusing blood transfusions at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia -- the second Jehovah's Witness woman in two weeks to die in the same hospital after refusing a blood transfusion. SOURCE (public media): http://www.theaustralian.com.au 22dec98 article "Another Witness chooses maker over medicine" By ADRIAN McGREGOR MORE
  2. Australian age 26

    3. Jehovah's Witness woman, age 26, died December 1998, after refusing blood transfusions at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. SOURCE (public media): http://www.theaustralian.com.au 12/12/98 article "Jehovah Witness dies after refusing blood tranfusion" from AAP MORE
  3. Frank Blanchet

    4. Jehovah's Witness, age 49, bled to death May 20, 1998, from an abdominal gunshot wound after refusing blood transfusions at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California. SOURCE (public media): Santa Barbara "NEWS PRESS" 5/21/98 article "Wounded insurance agent dies" by DAWN HOBBS, as found Thursday May 21, 1998, at the newspaper's online edition website http://news.newspress.com/local/murder.htm MORE
  4. Chicago Sister

    5. Jehovah's Witness, bled to death from complications of pregnancy December 1997 after refusing a blood transfusion in Chicago. SOURCE (public media): Internet e-mail discussion group "The Virtual Gathering," from a message publicly posted December 18, 1997, by a JW relative of the deceased. MORE
  5. Another Chicago sister

    6. Bled to death from complications of pregnancy November 1997 after refusing a blood transfusion in Chicago. SOURCE (public media): Internet e-mail discussion group "The Virtual Gathering," from a message publicly posted December 18, 1997, by a JW who revealed this case when saying her relative's was "the second death within a month under the same circumstances". MORE
  6. Barbara Clay

    7. Jehovah's Witness, age 78, died September 6, 1997, of heart failure after refusing a blood transfusion at Natchez, Mississippi. SOURCE (private e-mail): Carol Callon Fuqu MORE
  7. African girl

    8. Unnamed young female Jehovah's Witness died early-mid-1997, after refusing a blood transfusion in a hospital in Zambia. SOURCE (public media): Times of Zambia, September 26, 1997 article MORE
  8. Gary L. Kreider

    9. Jehovah's Witness, in his late forties, hanged himself December 1996 in Downey, California. SOURCE (private e-mail): his ex-wife's friend Ravyn Spencer MORE
  9. Siman Rapley

    10. Jehovah's Witness, age 30, died October 2, 1996 at Cairns Base Hospital in Australia after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): "October 03, 1996 From a newspaper in Rockhampton, Australia. Perhaps the North Queensland Times" MORE
  10. Dina Mainz

    11. Jehovah's Witness, age 24, died October 1996 at Hvidovre hospital, Denmark, after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): editorial in Denmark's largest newspaper Ekstrabladet, Oct. 21, 1996; also, the norwegian weekly magazine "Allers", no. 50-1996.MORE
  11. Elena Godlevskaya

    12. Jehovah's Witness, age 17, died September 1996 at Riga, Latvia, after refusing blood. SOURCE (public media): Kievskie vedomosty, 25.09.1998 MORE
  12. Emelie Grootjes

    13. Jehovah's Witness, age 19, died 1996 at Poole General Hospital in England. Her Jehovah's Witness parents refused blood transfusions for her. SOURCE (public media): The Daily Mirror, September 24, 1996, page 15 MORE
  13. unnamed woman

    14. Jehovah's Witness, age 83, died October 1995 in Norway after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet Oct 26, 1995, and the Norwegian newspaper, Varden, Oct. 27, 1995 MORE
  14. Cathy Grenci

    15. Jehovah's Witness, age 34, died June 12, 1995 at York Central Hospital, Ontario, Canada after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): The Toronto Star, Sunday May 26, 1996 MORE
  15. Tony Mendez

    16. Jehovah's Witness, died June 6, 1995 at Arroyo Grande Community Hopsital after refusing blood transfusions. SOURCE (privately reported): August 11, 1997 e-mail from his niece Caribe A. Caro MORE
  16. Tammy Schultz

    17. Jehovah's Witness, age 26, died in Oregon May 24, 1995, of heart failure due to repeated trauma. SOURCE (private e-mail): her best friend Ravyn Spencer MORE
  17. Joshua Walker

    18. Jehovah's Witness, age 16, died October 4, 1994 in Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada. He agreed with his parents in refusing blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Daily News of Halifax/Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 6, 1994, page 13 MORE
  18. Judith Riberas

    19. Child, age 14, died 1994 at Zaragoza, Spain after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): El Mundo, September 17, 1994 MORE
  19. Marcos Vallés

    20. Child, age 13, died 1994 at Zaragoza, Spain after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): El Mundo, September 17, 1994 MORE
  20. Walter Swisher

    21. Jehovah's Witness, age 37, died May 6, 1994 at home at Kokomo, Indiana. SOURCE (privately reported): form completed by his brother. MORE
  21. Adrian Yeatts

    22. Child, age 15, died September 13, 1993 at the Dr. Charles A. Janeway Child Health Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. He agreed with his Jehovah's Witness parents in refusing blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): AWAKE! magazine, May 22, 1994, page 8 MORE including photo
  22. Lenae Martinez

    23. Child, age 12, died September 22, 1993 at Valley Children's Hospital in Fresno, California. She agreed with her Jehovah's Witness parents in refusing blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Awake! magazine, May 22, 1994, page 10. MORE including photo
  23. Lisa Kosack

    24. Child, age 12, died [date not supplied] at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She agreed with her Jehovah's Witness parents in refusing blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Awake! magazine, May 22, 1994, page 14. MORE including photo
  24. Dan Andersen

    25. Child, age 15, died summer 1993 in Denmark after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): The Watchtower February, 1, 1996, page 15 and the largest newspaper in Denmark, Ekstra Bladet January 25, 1996 MORE
  25. Susan Teeney

    26. Jehovah's Witness, age 27, died 1993 in Britain. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): TV Quick magazine, July 31 through August 6, 1993. MORE
  26. Nelida Gonzalez

    27. Jehovah's Witness, age 55, died refusing blood November 1992 in Ponce, Puerto Rico. SOURCE (private e-mail): her neice Fran Jolly. MORE
  27. John Alson

    28. Jehovah's Witness, age 47, died August 1992 at San Joaquin General Hospital in Stockton, California. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Modesto Bee undated and August 16, 1992. MORE
  28. unnamed woman

    29. Jehovah's Witness apparently died in 1992 in California. Document signed in advance prevented blood transfusions while she was unconscious. SOURCE (public media): Awake! magazine, September 22, 1992, page 12 MORE
  29. Minel Koehler

    30. Jehovah's Witness, age 19, died April 1992 at St. Luke's Medical Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Pioneer Press, April 29, 1992, page 2C MORE
  30. Gary Ricketts

    31. Jehovah's Witness, age 23, died March 23, 1992, in England. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): London¹s TV Quick, November 7-13, 1992. MORE
  31. Brian Hunt

    32. Jehovah's Witness, age 49, died 1992 in England. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Western Morning News, August 28, 1992 MORE
  32. Doreen Nielson

    33. Jehovah's Witness, age 49, died September 19, 1991 in Cleveland, Ohio. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 9, 1992 MORE
  33. Kevin Rattenbury

    34. Child, age 14, died August 1991 in Michigan. He agreed with his Jehovah's Witness parents in refusing blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Chicago Tribune, August 14, 1991 MORE
  34. Wyndham Cook

    35. Child, age 15, died summer 1991 in South Africa. He agreed with his Jehovah's Witness parents in refusing blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Awake! magazine, August 22, 1991, page 15 MORE
  35. Thomas Poole

    36. Jehovah's Witness, age 37, died March 1991 in Florida. Refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Miami Herald, March 7, 1991; Sun-Sentinel, July 9, 1992 MORE
  36. Cedric Thames

    37. Jehovah's Witness, age 23, died in 1991 in Orlando, Florida. Relatives refused blood transfusions for him. SOURCE (public media): Associated Press dispatch, August 13, 1992; the Orlando Sentinel, August 14, 1992 MORE
  37. Catalina Galián

    38. Jehovah's Witness, age 27, died 1991 at Cartagena, Spain after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): Cambio 16, October 3, 1994 and Alternativa 2.000, No. 10, 1991 MORE
  38. Joanne Mangione

    39. Jehovah's Witness, age 30, died at 3:30 p.m. on December 6, 1990, at Sister's Hospital, Buffalo, New York. Refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Buffalo News Sunrise Edition, December 7, 1990, page 1 MORE
  39. Estella Conroy

    40. Jehovah's Witness, age 50-something, died September 3, 1990 refusing a blood transfusion in Jefferson City, Missouri. SOURCE (private e-mail): her oldest son Mike Conroy MORE
  40. Elihu Canle

    41. Child, age 2, died February 7, 1990 at Santiago de Compostella, Spain after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (public media): Cambio 16, October 3, 1994 and Alternativa 2.000, March - April 1990 MORE
  41. Kelsey Crockford

    42. Child, age 2, died 1990 in Houston, Texas. His Jehovah's Witness parents refused blood transfusions for him. SOURCE (public media): The Houston Chronicle, November 18, 1995, page 42A MORE
  42. Lysa Biffle

    43. Jehovah's Witness, died December 1989 at Queens General Hospital, New York. Refused blood or blood products. SOURCE (public media): The New York Post, December 27, 1989 MORE
  43. Alexander Bazowsky

    44. Child, age 5, died July, 1989, resident of Minto, New Brunswick, youngest of 3 children. Son of Carol and Brian Bazowsky, Grandson of Al and Dorothy Bazowsky SOURCE: private e-mail from Brian Callaghan MORE
  44. unnamed woman

    45. Jehovah's Witness, age 20, died June 1989. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Journal of the American Medical Association, September 1990, cited in an Associated Press dispatch in the Rockford, Illinois, Register Star, September 6, 1990 MORE
  45. Jared Brown

    46. Child, age 10 (?), died, 1989. Resident of Ottawa, Ontario, youngest of 3 children. Son of Gardner and Linda Brown SOURCE: private e-mail from Brian Callaghan MORE
  46. Lora Jaudon

    47. Jehovah's Witness, age 29, died April 1989 at Pescack Valley Hospital in New Jersey. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Record [undated clipping], pages A-1 and A-12. MORE
  47. John Truong

    48. Jehovah's Witness, age 24, died 1989. Refused blood transfusions for four days SOURCE (public media): Cox News Service, July 8, 1989 MORE
  48. Lucia Gangi

    49. Child, age 12, died February 1989 in Melbourne, Australia. Her Jehovah's Witness parents refused blood transfusions for her. SOURCE (public media): Australia¹s Telegraph Mirror Journal, March 25, 1992. MORE
  49. Christopher Burke

    50. Jehovah's Witness, age 47, died January 1989 in Britain. Documents signed in advance prevented blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Sun, January 19, 1989 MORE
  50. Juan Ortega

    51. Jehovah's Witness, age 38, died August 1988. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): the Miami Herald, August 31, 1988, page 6A MORE
  51. Ms. Peyton

    52. Jehovah's Witness, died under the care of Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal. Refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Discover magazine, August 1988 MORE
  52. Elizabeth Sample

    53. Jehovah's Witness, age 57, died May 1988 in Detroit, Michigan, after refusing blood. SOURCE (private e-mail): her son Raymond A. Johnson MORE
  53. Audrey Lawson

    54. Jehovah's Witness, age 31, died December 1987 at Burnaby Hospital in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Vancouver Province, December 9, 1987; the Edmonton Journal [undated]; The Vancouver Sun, December 18, 1992 inquest report MORE
  54. Bridget Warner

    55. Jehovah's Witness, age 21, died, April 1986, at Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center in Florida. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Morning Call, April 28, 1986. MORE
  55. Buck Parker

    56. Child, one day old, died February 11, 1986 in Albany, New York, after mother refused to allow transfusion and before hospital was able to obtain a court order. SOURCE (private e-mail): his mother JoAnne Parker MORE
  56. Donald MacDonald

    57. Jehovah's Witness, age 27, died of leukemia after refusing blood February 2, 1986 in Largo, Florida. SOURCE (private e-mail): his sister Karenne Gionet Zentek MORE
  57. Judy Granvold

    58. Jehovah's Witness, age 38, bled to death May 1985 in San Luis Obispo, California, after refusing blood transfusion. SOURCE (private e-mail): her husband's cousin Marlene Mercado MORE
  58. Mrs. M. L. Sierra

    59. Jehovah's Witness, died December 1984 at Melilla, Spain after another JW disconnected her transfusion catheter. SOURCE (public media): Alternativa 2.000, No. 3 July-August 1990 MORE
  59. Kelly Brooks

    60. Jehovah's Witness, died in the summer of 1984 in Owosso, Michigan after blood transfusions were refused. SOURCE (privately reported): Cousin's husband Ty Scharrer. MORE
  60. Michelle Hartley'

    61. Jehovah's Witness, age 23, died 1983 at Brandon, Florida. Refused blood after a car accident. SOURCE (private e-mail): her best friend Lydia Paterson MORE
  61. unnamed man

    62. Jehovah's Witness, died 1983 at Gerona, Spain. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): El Periodico, September 17, 1993 MORE
  62. Renata

    63. Child, age 14, died apparently in 1982, in Brazil. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Watchtower, August 1, 1982, page 22 MORE
  63. Carol Sulkye

    64. Jehovah's Witness, age 26, died December 14, 1981 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She refused a blood transfusion. SOURCE (public media): The Toronto Star, January 20, 1982. MORE
  64. Kim Straton

    65. Jehovah's Witness, age 33, died July 1981 in Kentucky. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Courier-Journal, July 19, 1981. MORE
  65. Charles Williams

    66. Jehovah's Witness, age 33, died July 12, 1981 in Detroit. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Boston Globe, August 9, 1981 MORE
  66. Mark Ramsey

    67. Jehovah's Witness, age 27, died February 1981 in Miami, Florida. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Miami Herald, February 21, 1985 MORE
  67. Anita Brown

    68. Jehovah's Witness, died June 17, 1980 in California. Refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): Contra Costa Times, June 25, 1980 MORE
  68. Sarah Cyrennes

    69. Child, age 12, died March 30, 1980 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Jehovah's Witness parents prevented blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Toronto Globe and Mail, undated clipping. MORE
  69. Eleanor L. Maurer

    70. Jehovah's Witness, age 31, died September 1979 in Massachusetts. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Boston Herald, September 19, 1979 MORE
  70. Arvid Moody

    71. Jehovah's Witness, age 68, died June 1978 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after refusing a kidney transplant. SOURCE (privately reported): his daughter Debbie (Moody) Shard. MORE
  71. Mary Williams

    72. Jehovah's Witness, age 41, died November 1971 after refusing a blood transfusion at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital SOURCE (private e-mail): her daughter Sandra Clemens. MORE
  72. unnamed girl

    73. Child, age 13, died apparently in 1971, in Berlin, Germany. Her Jehovah's Witness mother refused blood transfusions for her. SOURCE (public media): The Watchtower, September 1, 1971, page 531 MORE
  73. Irene Walter

    74. Child, age 2, died November 5, 1970 in Steyr, Upper Austria. Her Jehovah's Witness parents refused blood for her. SOURCE (public media): Awake!, September 22, 1972, pages 17-21 MORE
  74. unnamed woman

    75. Jehovah's Witness, died apparently in 1970 in the Ellice Islands. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): 1971 Yearbook of Jehovah¹s Witnesses, page 131 MORE
  75. Robert Pelzek

    76. Jehovah's Witness, age 22, died in August 1968 at St. Luke's Hospital, Racine, Wisconsin. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): UPI report in the Dallas Morning News cited in the book I Was Raised a Jehovah's Witnessby Joe Hewitt, 1997 edition, page 127 MORE
  76. Mrs. J. Christian

    77. Jehovah's Witness, died March 1968 at Good Samaritan Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona. She refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): The Arizona Republic, March 9, 1968 MORE
  77. George Crabtree

    78. Jehovah's Witness, died 1966 in Holly, Michigan. Did not have needed surgery due to blood doctrine. SOURCE: Nephew Ty Scharrer. MORE
  78. John Perricone

    79. Child, age 3, died March 4, 1961 at Pollack Hospital, Jersey City, New Jersey. Jehovah's Witness parents refused blood for the child. SOURCE (public media): The New York Times, March 5, 1961 MORE
  79. Bill Korinek

    80. Jehovah's Witness, died July 31, 1957, in Utah. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): the book We Left Jehovah's Witnesses - a Non-Prophet Organization by Edmond C. Gruss MORE
  80. Brendon Hood

    81. Child, age 4, died late January or early February [year not supplied] at Canoga Park, California. Jehovah's Witness parents refused blood for him. SOURCE (public media): Associated Press dispatch reproduced on page 70 of the book Danger at Your Door by Duane Magnani. MORE
  81. Betty Jackson

    82. Jehovah's Witness, age 24, died November 13 [year not supplied] at Hempstead General Hospital, Hempstead, New York. Her Jehovah's Witness husband refused blood for her. SOURCE (public media): Associated Press dispatch reproduced on page 70 of the book Danger at Your Door by Duane Magnani. MORE
  82. Leonard Budd

    83. Jehovah's Witness, age 21, died [date not supplied] under the care of Dr. Morris Friedman at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): UPC dispatch reproduced on page 30 of Questions for Jehovah's Witnesses by William and Joan Cetnar MORE
  83. Dan Morgan

    84. Jehovah's Witness, died October 1951. He refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 224 MORE
  84. Samuel Muscariello

    85. Jehovah's Witness, died in 1949. Refused blood transfusions. SOURCE (public media): 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 223 MORE
THE NAMES listed in this Memorial constitute only a small sampling of the victims who should be included, according to published statistics. Relatively few cases come to the attention of the news media because a police accident report was involved or because doctors asked courts to intervene. When adult JWs are admitted privately to hospitals and sign legal release papers, their deaths due to refusing blood are generally recorded only in confidential patient files. Published obituaries usually omit such details. Names are listed here if reported in the public news media or if submitted by relatives, friends, or other knowledgeable individuals who vouch for the information.

 

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