Apache County Obituary Search

Apache County obituary records can be found through the vital records office in St. Johns and through state-level genealogy databases. This is one of the largest and most rural counties in Arizona, covering over 11,000 square miles in the northeast corner of the state. Finding obituaries here may take some extra work since few local newspapers have online archives. Death certificates are available from the county vital records office on the second floor of the county building. For older records and genealogy research, you will likely need to use Arizona state resources and the historic newspaper collections at the state library.

Apache County Vital Records Office

The Apache County Vital Records Office handles death certificates for this region. The office is on the second floor of the county building at 75 W. Cleveland Street in St. Johns. They can issue certified copies of death certificates for any death that occurred in Arizona, not just Apache County. You can request records in person or by mail.

Counter hours are 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The office is closed on Fridays. Before you make the trip, call ahead at (928) 337-7525 to confirm they are open. Rural county offices sometimes close for training days or staff shortages, so it is smart to check first. The staff can answer questions about your request and let you know what documents you need to bring.

The Apache County Recorder's Office is in the same building. They handle property records and other documents that may be useful for genealogy research. Death certificates, though, come from the vital records side.

Note: The office does not accept cash payments, so bring a money order or credit card.

Apache County Death Certificate Fees

A certified death certificate costs $20 per copy in Apache County. This is the same fee charged across Arizona. If you need more than one copy, each extra copy also costs $20. Amendments or corrections to a death certificate cost $30. The county does not accept cash at the counter. You can pay with a money order or use a credit or debit card.

If you are mailing in a request, send a money order payable to Apache County Vital Records. Include your return address and a phone number where staff can reach you if there is a problem with your application. Mail requests take longer than in-person visits since the county has limited staff. Allow at least two to three weeks for processing and mail time.

There is no extra fee for mailing your certificate back to you. The $20 covers everything.

Who Can Get Apache County Death Records

Arizona is a closed record state. This means death certificates are not public records. Not everyone can walk in and get a copy of a death certificate. The state has rules about who qualifies. These rules apply to Apache County and every other county in Arizona. If you do not meet the criteria, you cannot get a certified copy of a recent death certificate.

People who can request a death certificate include the spouse of the deceased, parents, adult children, and siblings. Grandparents and grandchildren are also eligible. Legal representatives such as attorneys representing an eligible person can request copies. Executors of the estate, life insurance beneficiaries, and funeral directors qualify too. If a court order names you as authorized to receive the record, bring that order with you.

You must show a valid photo ID when you request a death certificate. The ID must be current and not expired. If you are applying by mail, include a clear copy of your ID with your application. Staff will check your ID to make sure you match the name on the application and that you meet the eligibility requirements.

For older records, the rules change. Death certificates become public after 50 years. Anyone can access these records for genealogy or historical research. The state has put many of these older records online.

How to Request Apache County Death Certificates

You have two main options for getting a death certificate from Apache County. The first is to visit the vital records office in person at 75 W. Cleveland Street in St. Johns. Bring your photo ID and know the full name of the deceased and the date of death. Fill out the application at the counter. Pay with a money order or card. Staff will process your request while you wait if the record is on file locally.

Here is what you need for a request:

• Full legal name of the deceased
• Date of death (at least the month and year)
• Place of death if known
• Your name and contact info
• Your relationship to the deceased
• Valid photo ID
• Payment of $20 per copy

The second option is to mail your request. Write down the info listed above. Include a copy of your photo ID. Send a money order for $20 per copy. Mail everything to Apache County Vital Records at 75 W. Cleveland Street (2nd Floor), St. Johns, AZ 85936. Allow several weeks for processing.

You can also order online through VitalChek, which is the official online vendor for Arizona vital records. VitalChek charges extra service fees on top of the $20 certificate cost. But it is faster than mailing and you can track your order online.

Apache County Recorder

The Apache County Recorder keeps property records, marriage licenses, and other official documents. While the Recorder does not handle death certificates directly, their records can help with genealogy work. If you are tracing family history in Apache County, the Recorder may have deeds, liens, and other papers that show when relatives lived here and what land they owned.

The Recorder is in the same building as vital records. You can visit both offices in one trip. Call (928) 337-7525 to ask about recorder services before your visit.

Apache County Obituary and Genealogy Sources

Finding obituaries in Apache County can be harder than in metro areas. The county has no major daily newspaper. Local weeklies have limited online presence. Most families publish obituaries through funeral homes or small papers that do not have searchable digital archives. You may need to use state-level resources instead of looking for county-specific obituary databases.

The Arizona Genealogy Database has death records that are 50 years old or more. You can search by name and find non-certified copies of historic death certificates. This is a free service from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Birth records over 75 years old are also available. These records are useful for tracing Apache County family lines back through the early 1900s.

The Arizona Memory Project has digitized newspapers, photos, and other primary sources. Some of these include obituaries and death notices from rural Arizona communities. The Arizona State Library has the largest collection of historic newspapers in the state. Staff will even do obituary lookups if you can give them the name, newspaper title, and date of death. There is no charge for this service.

The Arizona State Library genealogy guide explains how to find birth and death records. It covers what is available online and what you must request in person or by mail. If you are new to genealogy in Arizona, this guide is a good starting point.

Note: Arizona residents can access the State Archives records on Ancestry for free through the state library partnership.

Arizona Law on Death Records

Arizona law controls who can get death certificates and how records must be kept. Under A.R.S. 36-324, the state registrar and local registrars can issue certified copies of death certificates. But they can only give copies to people who meet the eligibility rules. The statute says a certified copy has the same legal status as the original registered certificate.

The law at A.R.S. 36-325 covers how death certificates get filed in the first place. Funeral homes have seven days after taking possession of remains to complete the death certificate. The local registrar then has 72 hours to register it if the certificate is accurate and complete. This system moves fast, so certificates are usually on file within two weeks of a death.

Public records laws in Arizona do not apply to birth or death certificates. Under A.R.S. 39-121, you cannot use a public records request to get someone's death certificate. You must go through the vital records office and meet the eligibility criteria.

Nearby Arizona Counties

Apache County sits in the northeast corner of Arizona. It borders New Mexico to the east. Within Arizona, several counties share borders with Apache. If you are searching for death records and are not sure where someone died, check the neighboring counties too. People sometimes travel for medical care or pass away while visiting family in another area.

Navajo County is directly to the west. It includes Holbrook and parts of the Navajo Nation. The vital records office there handles deaths from that region. Graham County lies to the south, with Safford as its county seat. Greenlee County is a small county to the southeast, near the New Mexico border. Each county has its own vital records office where you can request death certificates.

Parts of the Navajo Nation and the Fort Apache Indian Reservation are within Apache County. Tribal areas may have different record-keeping systems. For deaths on tribal lands, you may also need to contact tribal offices or the Indian Health Service in addition to county and state sources.

Arizona State Vital Records

If you cannot get records from Apache County or prefer to work with the state office, the Arizona Bureau of Vital Records can help. The state office at ADHS Vital Records issues death certificates for any Arizona death. They have records going back to 1909. Some earlier records from county offices are also on file.

The state office is in Phoenix at 150 North 18th Ave., Suite 120. The phone number is (602) 364-1300. They are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The same $20 fee applies. You can mail requests to PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Money orders should be payable to Bureau of Vital Records. They do not accept personal checks.

Using the state office may be easier if you live far from St. Johns or if the Apache County office cannot locate a record. The state has a more complete archive and more staff to process requests.

Tips for Apache County Obituary Research

Apache County covers a huge area with a small, spread-out population. Much of the county is on Native American reservations. Research here takes patience and flexibility. Here are some tips to help you find what you need.

Start with what you know. If you have a name and rough date of death, search the state genealogy database first. It is free and might give you the basics even if the record is old. Then decide if you need a certified copy or just the info for family tree work.

Check funeral homes in the area. Funeral services in Apache County often come from Springerville, Show Low, or even Phoenix. These funeral homes may have obituary records or can point you to where a notice was published. Calling around takes time but can turn up leads when online searches fail.

Use libraries and archives. The Navajo County Library District and the Arizona State Library have resources for this region. Historic newspapers on microfilm might have death notices that never made it online. Librarians can help you search if you contact them with specific names and dates.