OBI Remembers Claremore Veteran Who Impacted Thousands Through Blood Donations

Friends at the Oklahoma Blood Institute said no one has done more for blood donations in the area than Lieutenant Commander Murry Estabrook.

Tuesday, July 13th 2021, 9:38 pm

By: Jordan Tidwell

CLAREMORE, Oklahoma -

A Claremore veteran who was critical in helping Oklahoma Blood Institute with donations has died from cancer.

Lieutenant Commander Murry Estabrook has helped up to 12,000 people through his work with the Oklahoma Blood Institute.

Friends at the Oklahoma Blood Institute said no one has done more for blood donations in the area than Estabrook and he was a remarkable man.

Estabrook served in the Navy for 24 years and had been working with Oklahoma Blood Institute through Claremore High School ROTC program since the early 2000s.

"You couldn't interact with him without having a better day for having seen him," said Susan Addison with OBI.

Addison worked with Estabrook through OBI and said he was a selfless man who was always thinking of others. She said he organized 50 blood drives and helped get 4,000 blood donations.

"I just think about all those people's lives he helped impact, giving people extra time with their family, helping cure people of whatever was ailing them in the hospital," Addison said.

Estabrook was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in January, and News On 6's Amy Avery spoke to him in May about his treatment.

Addison said he was always thinking of how to get more blood donations, even organizing all Claremore High School donations for the upcoming year a week before he died.

"Just a wonderful person making sure his community had everything that they needed," Addison said.

She said Estabrook was always smiling and making sure his students knew there was always a way to help someone, somehow. Addison said it's a part of his legacy that will always be remembered.

"Making sure people don't forget his passion for the blood drives and passing that on to all the teachers and students at Claremore high school," she said.

You can donate blood in honor of Commander Estabrook. Addison said to visit OBI.org to find a blood drive near you, and donors may ask for supplemental donation forms to donate in his memory.