Tucson Obituary Records
Tucson obituary records trace the lives of people who passed away in southern Arizona. As the second largest city in the state, Tucson has a rich history with death records going back over a century. The Pima County Public Library holds extensive genealogy resources including newspaper archives from 1879 to the present. You can search recent obituaries online through the Arizona Daily Star or dig into historical records on microfilm at the library. Death certificates come from Pima County, not the city, since Arizona cities do not maintain vital records. This page shows you where to find Tucson obituaries and how to get death certificates for family research or legal needs.
Tucson Obituary Quick Facts
Pima County Library Obituary Resources
The Pima County Public Library is your best starting point for Tucson obituary research. They have built a strong collection of databases and newspaper archives over many years. Library staff know the local records well. They can help you find what you need even if you are not sure where to start. The genealogy resources cover more than a century of deaths in the Tucson area.
Visit the Pima County Library genealogy and obituary page to explore what they offer. The library has access to several key databases for finding death records. The U.S. Social Security Death Index covers deaths from 1900 to the present, with most records from 1960 or newer. This index lists the name, birth date, death date, and last known residence of people who had Social Security numbers. It is useful for confirming when someone died.
The Arizona Biography and Obituary Index covers 1865 to 1986. This is a big help for older Tucson obituary searches. The index pulls from newspapers, books, and other sources. It tells you where to find the full obituary text. Library staff will look up obituaries for you at no charge. You need to give them the name, newspaper title, and exact date of death. Call the Library Infoline at 520-791-4010 if you need help.
The library also offers access to Ancestry databases and other genealogy tools for in-library use. Arizona residents can get free access to Arizona State Archives records through a state partnership with Ancestry.
Tucson Newspaper Obituary Archives
The Arizona Daily Star is the main newspaper for Tucson obituaries. Families publish death notices and full obituaries in this paper. You can search current and recent obituaries online at tucson.com obituaries. The site lets you search by name or browse by date. Recent obituaries often include photos, life stories, and details about memorial services.
For historical obituaries, the Pima County Library has extensive microfilm collections. The Arizona Daily Star archives go back to 1880 in microfilm format. Digital archives are available from 1991 to the present. This means you can search over 140 years of Tucson obituaries between the digital and microfilm collections. The library staff can guide you through the microfilm readers if you have never used them before.
The Tucson Citizen was the other major newspaper in the city. It ran from 1879 until May 16, 2009, when it stopped publishing. The library has Tucson Citizen microfilm for the full run of the paper. These old issues hold thousands of obituaries that are not available online. If your ancestor lived in Tucson before 2009, the Citizen archives may have their death notice.
You can also search historical Tucson newspapers at Newspapers.com. This site has digitized pages from many Arizona papers. Some content requires a subscription, but you can often see a preview of results for free.
Note: Not every death has a published obituary since families choose whether to place one and may pay fees to the newspaper.
Tucson Death Certificates from Pima County
Arizona cities do not issue death certificates. All death certificates for Tucson residents come from Pima County or the state. The Pima County Health Department runs two vital records offices in the Tucson area. You can visit in person for same-day service or order by mail if you can wait 4 to 6 weeks.
The main office is at Abrams Public Health Center, 3950 S. Country Club Rd., Tucson. It is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The second office is at 1010 W. Miracle Mile and is open Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 520-724-7932 if you have questions. You can also email vitalrecords@pima.gov.
A certified death certificate costs $20 per copy. Arizona is a closed record state. Only certain people can get a certified copy. This includes the spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren of the deceased. Funeral directors, attorneys, and estate executors can also request copies. You must show a valid photo ID and state your relationship to the deceased.
For online orders, you can use VitalChek. They charge service fees on top of the $20 certificate cost. The benefit is faster processing and multiple shipping options.
How to Search Tucson Obituary Records
Searching for Tucson obituaries takes a few steps. Start with what you know about the person who died. The more details you have, the easier your search will be. A name and approximate death date will get you started. Here is a quick guide to finding Tucson obituary records.
- Search the Arizona Daily Star website for deaths from 1991 to now
- Check the Pima County Library databases for older records
- Use the Arizona Biography/Obituary Index for deaths from 1865 to 1986
- Request microfilm access for Arizona Daily Star back to 1880
- Search Tucson Citizen microfilm for obituaries from 1879 to 2009
- Check the Arizona state genealogy database for deaths over 50 years ago
The free state genealogy database at genealogy.az.gov has death records from 1870 to 1970. Under A.R.S. 36-351(B), death records become public after 50 years. You can view images of actual death certificates in this database. They show the cause of death, place of death, and other details that obituaries may not include.
If you know the person died in Tucson but cannot find their obituary, they may not have had one published. Try searching for a death certificate instead. The certificate will at least confirm the date and cause of death.
Tucson Funeral Home Obituaries
Local funeral homes often post obituaries on their websites. These pages may include guest books where friends and family share memories. Some funeral homes keep archives of past obituaries going back years. If you know which funeral home handled the services, check their website first.
Tucson has many funeral homes that serve the community. Most post recent obituaries online within a day or two of the death. The listings often include more photos and details than newspaper obituaries. Funeral home staff may also help you find older records if you call and ask. They keep files on past services and can sometimes provide information about deaths they handled years ago.
For a broader search, sites like Legacy.com aggregate obituaries from multiple sources. You can search for Tucson area deaths on the Arizona Republic obituary search page. While the Republic is a Phoenix paper, it often includes obituaries from across the state.
Historical Tucson Death Records
Tucson has been a major city in Arizona for well over a century. Historical death records tell the story of the people who built this community. The Arizona State Library and Archives holds many old records. The Arizona Memory Project at azmemory.azlibrary.gov has photos, documents, and digitized newspapers that may contain death notices and obituaries.
The state library has the largest collection of historic Arizona newspapers. Some papers date back to 1859. The Arizona Newspaper Project has over two million pages on microfilm. Many have been digitized and are searchable online. Library staff will do free obituary lookups if you provide the name, newspaper, and death date. This is a great service for people who cannot visit the archives in person.
County records are another source for historical deaths. Pima County has recorded deaths since the 1800s. The county recorder may have old documents related to estates, property transfers after death, and other records that mention deceased persons. Court records from probate cases also contain information about deaths.
Note: Pre-1909 death records in Arizona are less complete since statewide vital records registration did not start until that year.
Other Arizona Cities
Tucson is the only city in Pima County with a population over 50,000. However, many other Arizona cities have obituary resources worth checking. If your ancestor moved within the state, you may find their death recorded in another city. Phoenix area cities have large newspaper archives and library collections.
Check these other major Arizona cities for obituary records:
Each city page has local library resources and newspaper archives. Death certificates for all these cities come from their respective counties.
Pima County Obituary Records
For more on death certificates and obituary resources in the Tucson area, see the full Pima County obituary records page. It has details on all county vital records offices, fees, processing times, and how to request certificates by mail or in person. The county handles all death certificates for Tucson and surrounding communities including Oro Valley, Marana, and Sahuarita.