Mesa Obituary Records

Mesa obituary records can be found through the city's public library, local newspapers, and Maricopa County vital records offices. The Mesa Public Library stands out for its paid obituary search service that covers over a century of Arizona Republic newspapers. Residents looking for death notices in Mesa can also check the East Valley Tribune, which serves the entire East Valley area. For official death certificates, you need to go through Maricopa County since Arizona cities do not maintain vital records. This guide explains where to find Mesa obituaries and how to get death certificates for people who died in this East Valley city.

Mesa Public Library Obituary Search

The Mesa Public Library offers a unique service for finding old obituaries. Library staff will search Arizona Republic newspapers for obituaries from May 28, 1890 to December 31, 2009. This spans over 119 years of death notices. No other library in the East Valley offers this kind of dedicated obituary lookup. The service is perfect for family history research or when you need to find a death notice from decades past.

The fee is $15 per search request. This is non-refundable, even if the library cannot find the obituary you seek. You pay up front and the staff does the work. They search by name and date. If they find the obituary, they send you a copy. The service takes time since staff must look through old papers.

To request a search, mail your payment to Mesa Public Library, Obituary Search Requests, PO Box 1466, Mesa, AZ 85211. Include the name of the person you seek. Add the date of death if you know it. A rough date helps too. The more info you give, the better chance they have of finding what you need.

This library service is for Arizona Republic obituaries only. The Arizona Republic was and still is the main newspaper in the Phoenix metro area. Most Mesa deaths from this era would have notices there. But not every death got published. Small notices cost money even back then. Some families could not afford them.

Note: The library search only covers 1890 to 2009. For newer obituaries, try online newspaper archives or Legacy.com.

East Valley Tribune Mesa Obituaries

The East Valley Tribune is a local paper that covers Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale. This paper publishes death notices at no charge as a community service. Families can submit basic death announcements for free. Longer obituaries with photos cost more. The Tribune obituary section is a good place to look for recent Mesa deaths.

You can browse obituaries on the Tribune website. Search by name or browse by date. The archive goes back several years. Current death notices appear within days of submission. Many local funeral homes send notices directly to the paper.

The East Valley Tribune focuses on local news. Its obituary section reflects that. You will find Mesa residents here more often than in the larger Arizona Republic. For someone who lived and died in Mesa, check the Tribune first for recent years.

Mesa Death Certificates from Maricopa County

Mesa sits in Maricopa County. All death certificates for Mesa residents come from Maricopa County vital records. The city of Mesa does not issue death certificates. Neither do any other Arizona cities. This is state policy. Vital records stay at the county and state level.

Maricopa County has five vital records offices. The one closest to Mesa is in Mesa itself. It sits at 331 E. Coury Ave., Mesa, AZ 85210. This office can issue death certificates for any Arizona death, not just Mesa or Maricopa County deaths. Staff there can help you apply for copies if you are eligible.

Arizona is a closed record state. Death certificates are not public. Only certain people can get certified copies. These include the spouse of the deceased. Parents can get them. So can adult children, grandparents, and siblings. Legal representatives with proper documents qualify too. Insurance companies and funeral directors have access as well.

Each certified death certificate costs $20. You need a valid photo ID to request one. The Mesa office takes credit cards, money orders, and cashier's checks. They do not take personal checks. Call 602-506-6805 to confirm hours before you visit. The office is open most weekdays but closes early on Wednesdays.

Mail Requests for Mesa Death Records

You can order death certificates by mail if you cannot visit an office. Send your request to Maricopa County Public Health Office of Vital Registration at PO Box 2111, Phoenix, AZ 85001. Include a completed death certificate application form. Add a copy of your photo ID. Include payment by money order or cashier's check.

Mail requests take about a week to process. Sometimes longer. You will get your certificate in the mail once approved. If the office has questions, they will contact you. Make sure your phone number is on the application.

For faster service, consider VitalChek. The VitalChek website is an official online ordering service for Arizona vital records. You pay extra fees but can choose expedited shipping. The base cost is still $20 per certificate. VitalChek works 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Maricopa County Medical Examiner Records

Some Mesa deaths go through the Maricopa County Medical Examiner. This happens when the cause of death is unclear. Violent deaths, accidents, and unexpected deaths all trigger an investigation. The medical examiner determines how and why the person died. They then issue the death certificate.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner handles about 10,000 death reports each year across the county. Their office is at 701 West Jefferson Street in Phoenix. For case status updates, you can use the online case status search. This tells you where a case stands in the investigation process.

After the medical examiner finishes their work, the death certificate goes to vital records. You then request a copy through the normal process. The medical examiner does not issue certificates directly to families. They complete the cause of death section and file the record with the state.

Historic Mesa Obituary Records

For Mesa deaths that happened 50 or more years ago, you have more options. Arizona makes old death records public after 50 years. You can search these for free at the Arizona Genealogy Database. Death records from 1870 to 1970 are in the system. Type in a name and see what turns up. The database shows images of the original death certificates.

These are not certified copies. They work for family history research but not legal matters. Still, they contain useful details. You can see names, dates, places of death, and often the cause. Occupation and birthplace sometimes appear too.

The Arizona Memory Project has more historical records. This digital archive holds old newspapers, photos, and documents from across the state. Some Mesa records are in the collection. The Arizona State Library has newspapers on microfilm going back to 1859. Library staff will do free obituary lookups if you give them a name, paper title, and exact death date.

Note: The state genealogy database and memory project are free to use. No login required for basic searches.

Arizona Death Record Laws

Arizona statutes control who can access death records. Under A.R.S. 36-324, only eligible persons can get certified copies of death certificates. The registrar checks your relationship to the deceased before issuing a copy. This law protects family privacy but can frustrate researchers.

The good news is older records open up. A.R.S. 36-351(B) lets the state release non-certified copies of death records for genealogy after 50 years. These copies are fine for research. You just cannot use them for legal purposes like settling an estate.

Death certificates must be filed quickly in Arizona. A.R.S. 36-325 requires funeral homes to complete the death certificate within seven days of receiving the body. The registrar then has 72 hours to register it if the information is complete. This means most deaths get recorded within two weeks.

Nearby East Valley City Obituary Records

Mesa shares the East Valley with several other large cities. Each has its own library and newspaper resources for obituaries. Since all are in Maricopa County, they share the same death certificate process. Here are nearby cities where you might search for obituaries:

• Chandler - South of Mesa with the Chandler Public Library genealogy resources
• Tempe - West of Mesa, home to Arizona State University
• Gilbert - Southeast of Mesa, fast-growing East Valley city
• Scottsdale - North of Mesa with extensive library databases

The East Valley Tribune covers all these cities. A death notice for someone in Gilbert might also appear in Mesa search results. Families sometimes publish obituaries in multiple papers. Check both your city and neighboring areas when searching.

All East Valley cities use Maricopa County for death certificates. The Mesa vital records office at 331 E. Coury Ave. can issue certificates for deaths anywhere in Arizona. You do not have to go to Phoenix or the county where the death happened. Any Maricopa County office works.

How to Search Mesa Obituary Records

Start with the date of death if you know it. An exact date makes searching much easier. If you only know the year or month, expect to spend more time looking. Here is a process that works for most searches.

For deaths from 2010 to now, check online first. The East Valley Tribune website has recent obituaries. Legacy.com carries Arizona Republic death notices. Google the person's name plus "obituary" plus "Mesa" or "Arizona." Many funeral homes post obituaries on their websites. These often have guest books where people share memories.

For deaths from 1890 to 2009, use the Mesa Public Library service. Send $15 to PO Box 1466, Mesa, AZ 85211 with your search details. Library staff will check Arizona Republic archives and send you copies of what they find. Allow several weeks for a response.

For deaths before 1890 or outside Arizona Republic coverage, try the state archives. The Arizona Memory Project and genealogy database are both free. The state library will also do lookups if you know the newspaper and date. These resources take time but cost nothing.

For official death certificates, contact Maricopa County vital records. Visit the Mesa office, mail a request, or use VitalChek online. Make sure you qualify to receive the record before you apply.