Listed are indexes and databases designed to help users research Arizona death notices.
Arizona obituary records can be instrumental to your successful genealogy records or other family history documentation records. You can conduct an online search or do the work in person, but people often find the best method is to use a combination of both. There are also a few types of search methods you can use to find Arizona obituary records online or offline.
Some states are divided up strictly by counties, but Arizona does have some resources for the entire state. There is a statewide database that covers from 1844 to 1960 for obituaries and one for birth records that covers 1855 to 1935. Most of the other data is sorted by county so it can be very useful to have the county you believe the death records and obituary may be in.
The online indexes are not as extensive for Arizona as for many other states. It may require locating individual newspapers from an area, or doing research to find out which newspapers were around at the time. If you can narrow it down to a county, or just a few, and an approximate time of death it will make the search a bit easier. You may have more luck for the state of Arizona if you can use burial records or birth indexes as opposed to Arizona obituary records.
Libraries are generally the best approach to finding the records you need for your genealogy search. Whenever possible, conduct an online search prior to your visit. Locate contact information, physical address and the names of anyone who may be able to help. In fact, it can be a good idea to try to establish contact prior to your visit as well. You will want to find out if records like newspapers and microfilm are kept at the main library or at different branches within the county.
If you cannot travel to a certain county, or do not reside in the state of Arizona, see if you can enlist the help of someone at the library. There may be a staff member or volunteer who can access data for you. If not, check into genealogy groups in Arizona, especially those with volunteers. You may be able to get someone else to collect documentation for you and send it off. Make sure to provide someone else with as much data as possible to make their search easier.
Arizona is not one of the easiest states to conduct your obituary search for your genealogy search in, but it doesn’t mean it has to be impossible. Gather as much data as possible to try to make the hunt successful. That can also mean trying to use other types of records to fill in the gaps. Arizona obituary records can be very useful, but you can also try birth certificates, marriage certificates and other vital records as well.
Arizona has a massive retiree population, which means they often have more obituaries published every year than almost any other state. Luckily, they are on the forefront of technology when it comes to putting together easy to access databases that make finding the listing you are searching for easy.
The Mesa Arizona Regional Family History Center has a massive database that you can search to find listings from all over the state, while Maricopa County has their own listings, as well, through the West Valley Genealogical Society. The Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott also has an Arizona obituary records index that you can access, as well. Finally, the Scottsdale Public Library has a database you can search that contains all of the listings published in the local Scottsdale Tribune newspaper from the last few years.
Since there are such a large number of requests for Arizona obituaries, more and more small town newspapers are putting their listings online. Check to see what the local paper in the area you are searching and check with them first. If that search comes up dry, one of the databases listed above will likely have what you are looking for.
Listed are indexes and databases designed to help users research Arizona death notices.
The Pima County Public Library is a great place to start your search for Arizona death notices in that part of the state. They have a large number of resources and friendly staff members who are all there to assist in discovering the right document as quickly as possible. This includes tracking down the right date and location of the printing.
Below is a list of Arizona newspaper obituaries to aid in genealogical research.
Northern Arizona is served by the Arizona Daily Sun, which covers local to international news. Obituaries are arranged according to date. Current notices are featured and accompanied by photo and brief biography. Obituaries from the past 30-90 days are listed and may be accessed by double-clicking on the selected name.
Started in 1878, the Arizona Silver Belt provides comprehensive Globe community news. The weekly paper publishes obituaries for current and former residents. The obituaries are arranged by date and provide photos, biography, and funeral service information. A search option allows one to look for obituaries from the previous 12 months.
Prescott, Arizona communities receive their local news via the Daily Courier. Obituaries of current and former residents include details on their lives, as well as on any memorial or funeral services. As a locally-oriented publication, the Courier provides more depth than a statewide or national paper would. The Courier was established in 1882.
Obituaries published in the Douglas Dispatch may be accessed online by clicking on the appropriate link at the top of the Dispatch homepage. Full obituaries appear at the top of the page, and death notices follow. The Dispatch covers Douglas, Arizona community news and nationwide stories, sports, entertainment, and special features.
The Navajo-Hopi Observer is a weekly publication which provides tribal and community news for the Hopi reservation and Western Navajo tribe. The Observer has a readership of over 30,000 residents in Northern Arizona. Obituaries are published by date and note any tribal affiliations. Access via the link at the top of the Observer's homepage.
Deaths of residents of Santa Cruz County, Arizona are reported by the Nogales International, a twice-weekly publication. The Obituaries section, which can be found by following the link at the top of the Nogales International homepage, features current death notices and obituaries. Also listed are those from the previous three months.
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