Editing Snake handling in Christianity (section)

== Notable deaths ==
{{main|List of fatal snake bites in the United States}}
* The first report of a death from a serpent bite occurred in 1922 at the Church of God Evangel.<ref name="history of snake handling"/>
* In 1955, [[George Went Hensley]], the founder of modern snake handling in the [[Appalachian Mountains]], died after being bitten by a [[rattlesnake]] during a service in [[Altha, Florida]].<ref name="guardian"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Times–News staff |title=Faith Remains Despite Fatal Bite of Chief |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4kEaAAAAIBAJ&pg=7136,1278581&dq=george-went-hensley+death&hl=en |access-date=2 February 2012 |newspaper=Times–News |date=27 July 1955 |location=Hendersonville, North Carolina |page=3}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Brown |first=Joi |url=http://athena.english.vt.edu/~appalach/essaysS/snakes.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050718082326/http://athena.english.vt.edu/~appalach/essaysS/snakes.htm |title=Snake Handling in the Pentecostal Church: The Precedent Set by George Hensley |publisher=[[Virginia Tech]] |archive-date=18 July 2005 |access-date=13 January 2014}}</ref>
* In 1961, Columbia Chafin Hagerman died after being bitten by a [[timber rattlesnake]] during a service at the Church of the Lord Jesus, [[Jolo, West Virginia]].<ref name="duin"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/120698/LA0504.shtml|title=Faith strong at service for snake handlers – Lubbock Online – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512183251/http://lubbockonline.com/stories/120698/LA0504.shtml |archive-date=12 May 2016}}</ref>
* In 1967, Jean Saylor, wife of a snake-handling preacher, died after being bitten by a [[rattlesnake]] in [[Bell County, Kentucky]].<ref name="ky">{{cite web |last=Ward |first=Karla |url=http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article44612514.html |title=Man dies after being bitten while handling snake during Bell County church service |date=28 July 2015}}</ref>
* In 1982, Rev John Holbrook died after being bitten by a [[rattlesnake]] during a service in Oceana, WV.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19820825&id=37QwAAAAIBAJ&pg=7034,2791294&hl=en |title=Lakeland Ledger – Google News Archive Search }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/ |title=Chicago Tribune – Historical Newspapers |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref><ref name="BDT"/><ref name="Mathews">{{cite news |last=Mathews |first=Garret |title='Praise-the-Lord-and-pass-the-snake' service is a trip, if you can handle it |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/638481842.html?dids=638481842:638481842&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+03%2C+1983&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=%27Praise-the-Lord-and-pass-the-snake%27+service+is+a+trip%2C+if+you+can+handle+it&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131195352/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/638481842.html?dids=638481842:638481842&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Apr+03,+1983&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc='Praise-the-Lord-and-pass-the-snake'+service+is+a+trip,+if+you+can+handle+it&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2013 |work=Chicago Tribune|date=3 April 1983 |page=J3 |access-date=23 September 2013}}</ref><ref name="holbrook">{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1899&dat=19830830&id=gY1GAAAAIBAJ&pg=4633,4143660&hl=en |title=The Lewiston Journal – Google News Archive Search }}</ref>
* In 1983, Mack Ray Wolford died after being bitten by a [[timber rattlesnake]] during a service at the Lord Jesus Temple in Mile Branch, near [[Iaeger, West Virginia]].<ref name="BDT">{{cite news |title=Web Extra: 1983 Daily Telegraph story detailing the death of Wolford's father, also from a snake bite |url=http://bdtonline.com/local/x1647292521/WEB-EXTRA-1983-Daily-Telegraph-story-detailing-the-death-of-Wolford-s-father-also-from-a-snake-bite |work=Bluefield Daily Telegraph |date=30 August 1983 |access-date=12 June 2012}}{{author missing|date=September 2021}}</ref><ref name="holbrook"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Snake Bite Proves Fatal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2523764/snake_bite_proves_fatal/ |publisher=Daily Sitka Sentinel |location=Sitka, Alaska |date=31 August 1983 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="duin2">{{cite news |last=Duin |first=Julia |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/serpent-handling-pastor-profiled-earlier-in-washington-post-dies-from-rattlesnake-bite/2012/05/29/gJQAJef5zU_story.html |title=Serpent-handling pastor profiled earlier in Washington Post dies from rattlesnake bite |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=30 May 2012 |access-date=13 January 2014}}</ref>
* In 1995, Melinda Brown of [[Parrottsville, Tennessee]], died after being bitten by a [[timber rattlesnake]] during a service at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in [[Middlesboro, Kentucky]].<ref name="alford"/><ref name="cgg"/><ref name="cnn"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kentucky.com/news/hot-topics/article44490747.html |title=Months after snake-handling preacher's death, his son recovering from snakebite |access-date=24 April 2016 |archive-date=15 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415165136/http://www.kentucky.com/news/hot-topics/article44490747.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="bbc">{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-26224452 |title=Snake Salvation pastor dies from snake bite |date=17 February 2014 |publisher=BBC }}</ref>
* In 1995, Kale Saylor (husband of Jean), a Pentecostal preacher, died after being bitten by a [[rattlesnake]] during a service at Crockett Saylor Pentecostal Church in [[Crockett, Kentucky]].<ref name="ky"/>
* In 1997, Daril Colins died after being bitten by a snake during a service in [[Bell County, Kentucky]].<ref name="ky"/>
* In 1998, John Wayne "Punkin" Brown (husband of Melinda), a snake-handling evangelist, died after being bitten by a [[timber rattlesnake]] during a service at the Rock House Holiness Church in rural northeastern [[Alabama]].<ref name="cgg"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Jackson |first=Wayne |url=https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/27-sincere-but-wrong-dead-wrong |title=Sincere but Wrong-Dead Wrong |website=christiancourier.com|publisher=Christian Courier }}</ref>
* In 2004, Dwayne Long, a Pentecostal pastor, died after being bitten by a [[rattlesnake]] during a service in [[Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sullivan-county.com/nf0/ep/snake_bite.htm |title=Snakebite proves fatal to minister |date=15 April 2004 |publisher=Kingsport Publishing Corporation |via=sullivan-county.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hammack |first=Laurence |url=http://www.religionnewsblog.com/6852/for-snake-handlers-going-to-church-can-prove-deadly |title=For snake handlers, going to church can prove deadly |location=USA |work=Roanoke Times |date=18 April 2004 |via=Religion News Blog}}</ref><ref name="Google News"/>
* In 2006, Linda Long died after being bitten by a [[timber rattlesnake]] during a service at East London Holiness Church, [[London, Kentucky]].<ref name="long"/><ref>{{cite web |last=Heller |first=Matthew |url=http://www.onpointnews.com/NEWS/nurse-sued-for-dissing-faith-of-bitten-snake-handler.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531070810/http://www.onpointnews.com/NEWS/nurse-sued-for-dissing-faith-of-bitten-snake-handler.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 May 2016 |title=Nurse Sued for Dissing Faith of Bitten Snake-Handler – Medicine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/woman-dies-after-snakebite-in-church/ |title=Woman Dies After Snakebite in Church |publisher=CBS News |date=7 November 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15616009 |title=Woman fatally bitten by snake in church |publisher=[[NBC News]] |date=8 November 2006}}</ref>
* In 2012, Mark Randall "Mack" Wolford (son of Mack), a Pentecostal pastor, died after being bitten by a [[timber rattlesnake]] while officiating at an outdoor service at [[Panther Wildlife Management Area]], [[West Virginia]].<ref name="duin2"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Pond |first=Lauren|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/why-i-watched-a-snake-handling-pastor-die-for-his-faith/2012/05/31/gJQA3fRP5U_story.html |title=Why I watched a snake-handling pastor die for his faith |date=31 May 2012 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
* In 2014, [[Jamie Coots]] died after being bitten by a [[timber rattlesnake]] during a service at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in [[Middlesboro, Kentucky]].<ref name="kentucky.com"/><ref name="bbc"/> Coots starred in the TV series ''Snake Salvation'' and his death was widely reported.<ref>A google search reveals numerous reports.</ref>
* In 2015, John Brock died after being bitten by a [[rattlesnake]] during a service at Mossie Simpson Pentecostal Church in [[Jenson, Kentucky]].<ref name="brock"/><ref>{{cite web |first=Phil |last=Pendleton |url=http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Man-dies-in-Bell-County-after-he-was-bitten-by-snake-during-church-service-318868451.html |title=Man dies of snake bite during church service in Bell County}}</ref>