Ernest R. Grossguth

Rhode Island Department of Corrections — Cranston, RI

Cardiac

End of Watch March 26, 1995

Age 64

Tour of Duty 34 yrs

The Vigil Panel 141 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Correctional Officer Ernest Grossguth suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after breaking up a fight between several inmates in the Maximum Security prison.

Officer Grossguth was knocked to the ground while attempting to separate the inmates, but was able to help subdue them. Following the incident he returned to his post in Tower 4, where he was found unresponsive a short time later. Other officers were unable to revive him.

Officer Grossguth had served with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections for 34 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RI-AAB2E228
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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

34 years. You could have gone home.
Correctional Officer Grossguth gave the Rhode Island Department of Corrections 34 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Rhode Island. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Grossguth.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Rhode Island Department of Corrections

Location Cranston, RI

Platform Identity ridcorr.providence.ri.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 26, 1995

Tour of Duty 34 yrs

Age 64

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Cause Detail Heart attack

Weapon Person

Correctional Officer Ernest R. Grossguth is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In RI, 4 of 55 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 7.3% of this state's fallen. That is 3.3 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Rhode Island Department of Corrections, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.

Rhode Island Department of Corrections

of 5 officers

20% Cardiac

RI — Statewide

of 55 officers

7.3% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac