Tempe Obituary Records
Tempe obituary records help families find death notices and trace their roots in this East Valley city. Whether you need a death certificate from Maricopa County or want to search old newspaper archives at Arizona State University, Tempe offers many ways to find these records. The city sits at the heart of the Phoenix metro area. Its large student population and long history mean many people have lived and died here over the years. Local newspapers like the East Valley Tribune publish death notices for Tempe residents. The Maricopa County Office of Vital Registration handles all death certificates for Tempe. You can also find historical records through ASU's special collections and the Tempe History Museum.
Tempe Obituary Records Quick Facts
Getting Tempe Death Certificates
Death certificates for Tempe residents come from Maricopa County. Arizona does not let cities issue vital records. You must go through the county or state. Maricopa County Public Health runs the Office of Vital Registration. They can issue certified copies of death certificates for any death that happened in Arizona. The main office is in Phoenix, but there are other locations closer to Tempe.
The East Valley office in Mesa is the best choice for Tempe residents. It sits at 331 E. Coury Ave., Mesa, AZ 85210. This office is just a few miles from Tempe. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Wednesday, they open at 9 a.m. You can walk in and get same-day service in most cases. Bring a valid photo ID. The fee is $20 per certified copy. They do not take personal checks. Cash, credit cards, and money orders work fine.
You can also order by mail. Send your request to Maricopa County Office of Vital Registration, PO Box 2111, Phoenix, AZ 85001. Include the full name of the deceased, date of death, your relationship, a copy of your ID, and a money order for $20. Mail orders take about a week to process. For more details, visit the Maricopa County death certificates page.
Who Can Get a Tempe Death Certificate
Arizona is a closed record state. Not everyone can get a death certificate. The law limits access to protect privacy. Only certain people qualify to receive a certified copy. You must prove your relationship or legal interest.
The list of eligible persons includes spouses, parents, adult children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. Funeral directors can get copies for families they serve. If you have power of attorney, you qualify. Executors and beneficiaries of the estate can request copies. Life insurance beneficiaries need copies to file claims. Attorneys who represent eligible persons can also make requests. Anyone named in a court order may obtain a copy under A.R.S. § 36-324.
If you do not fit these groups, you cannot get a certified copy of a recent death certificate in Tempe or anywhere else in Arizona. However, after 50 years, death records open to the public. Genealogists and historians can then access them freely through the state's genealogy database.
Tempe Obituaries in the East Valley Tribune
The East Valley Tribune covers Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and Scottsdale. This paper has been publishing local news since 1891. They run obituaries as a community service. Many Tempe families choose to place death notices here because it reaches their neighbors and friends.
You can browse Tempe obituaries online at the East Valley Tribune obituaries portal. The site lets you search by name and date. Recent death notices appear first. Older ones stay in the archive for some time. The paper places basic death notices at no charge when submitted by a mortuary. Families can pay for longer obituaries with photos and more detail. This is often the first place to look when someone in Tempe passes away.
The fax number for obituary submissions is (480) 898-5606. Funeral homes usually handle this for families.
Note: The East Valley Tribune covers the entire East Valley, so search results may include people from Mesa, Chandler, and other nearby cities.
Arizona State University Library Resources
Tempe is home to Arizona State University. The ASU library system has resources that can help with obituary research. ASU Libraries hold special collections, archives, and digital databases. While their main focus is academic, some collections touch on local history and genealogy.
The ASU Library provides access to Ancestry Library Edition for in-person use. This database includes death records, cemetery indexes, and newspaper obituaries from across the country. You do not need to be a student to use computers in the library. Just walk in and use the public terminals. The Ancestry database has millions of records. It can help you find Tempe obituaries that appeared in out-of-state papers or national databases.
ASU's Hayden Library is the main branch. It sits on the Tempe campus at 300 E. Orange Mall. Hours vary by term. Call ahead or check the website before you go. The staff can point you to genealogy resources even if you are not a student. They know how to search newspaper archives and vital records databases.
Arizona Republic Tempe Obituaries
The Arizona Republic is the largest paper in the state. It covers all of Maricopa County, including Tempe. Many families publish obituaries here to reach a wider audience. The paper has been around since 1890. Its archives hold over a century of death notices.
Current obituaries appear on Legacy.com for Arizona Central. You can search by name, date, or city. Type "Tempe" in the location field to narrow results. The archives at newspapers.com have historical issues going back decades. Some access requires a subscription. Tempe residents can often get free access through their library card.
The Arizona Republic charges fees to publish obituaries. Prices start at $85 for a basic notice. Contact them at +1 (800) 917-9207 or email gannettobits@obituaries.com to place an obituary for a Tempe resident.
Tempe History Museum Records
The Tempe History Museum collects materials about the city's past. They have photos, documents, and local records that date back to the 1800s. While they do not issue death certificates, their archives may help you find information about people who lived in Tempe long ago.
The museum sits at 809 E. Southern Ave. in Tempe. Admission is free. Staff can help you search for historical records about Tempe residents. They have files on local families, old newspapers, and city records. If you are researching a Tempe family from the early 1900s, this is a good place to start. The museum may have obituary clippings, funeral programs, or other papers that families donated over the years.
Call the museum at (480) 350-5100 to ask about their collections. Let them know what you are looking for. They can tell you if they have relevant materials before you visit.
Maricopa County Medical Examiner Cases
Some deaths in Tempe require investigation by the Medical Examiner. Under A.R.S. § 11-593, certain deaths must be reported. These include deaths not under a doctor's care, deaths from violence, unexpected deaths, and deaths in suspicious circumstances. The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner handles these cases.
The Medical Examiner's office can provide information about investigated deaths. Their main phone is 602-506-3322. They have a 24/7 investigations line at 602-506-1138. The office is at 701 West Jefferson Street in Phoenix. If a death in Tempe required an investigation, the Medical Examiner issues the death certificate instead of the family's doctor.
You can check case status online at the Maricopa County Medical Examiner case search portal. This tool shows if a case is open, pending, or closed. It does not give cause of death details online. You must contact the office directly for that information.
Free Tempe Obituary Records Online
Arizona offers free access to death records that are 50 years old or more. This helps genealogists trace their Tempe roots without paying fees. The state genealogy database has death records from 1870 to 1970. You can search by name and view images of actual death certificates.
Visit the Arizona Genealogy Database to search. These are not certified copies. You cannot use them for legal purposes. But they show names, dates, places of death, and sometimes cause of death. For Tempe deaths before 1970, this is a free and easy way to find records.
The Arizona Memory Project has digitized newspapers. Some contain Tempe obituaries from the early 1900s. The State Library also offers free obituary lookup services. Give them a name, newspaper, and date of death. They will search for you at no cost. Contact them through the Arizona newspapers genealogy guide.
How to Request Tempe Death Records
Here is what you need to request a death certificate for someone who died in Tempe:
- Full name of the deceased person
- Date of death or approximate range
- Place of death (Tempe or Maricopa County)
- Your relationship to the deceased
- Valid government photo ID
- Payment of $20 per certified copy
You can submit requests in person at any Maricopa County vital records office. The East Valley location in Mesa is closest to Tempe. Walk-ins usually get same-day service. Mail requests take about a week. Online ordering through VitalChek is also an option. They charge extra fees for processing and shipping. The county office at maricopa.gov has forms and instructions.
Note: Maricopa County does not accept personal checks for vital records fees.
Obituary Records in Nearby Cities
Tempe borders several other major cities in the Phoenix metro area. If you cannot find an obituary in Tempe sources, try searching in these nearby places. Many people who lived in Tempe had obituaries published in neighboring city newspapers.
All these cities fall under Maricopa County. Death certificates come from the same county offices. Newspapers like the Arizona Republic and East Valley Tribune cover the whole metro area. An obituary might appear in any of these papers regardless of where the person lived.
Maricopa County Obituary Resources
Tempe is one of many cities in Maricopa County. The county handles all vital records for the area. For more details on death certificates, medical examiner services, and genealogy resources, see our full guide to Maricopa County obituary records.