Find Greenlee County Obituary Records

Greenlee County obituary records and death certificates are available through the county health department in Clifton. This is the smallest county in Arizona by population, which makes searching for local records more manageable. The Office of Vital Registration handles death certificate requests for deaths that occurred anywhere in Arizona. Residents and family members can also find Greenlee County obituaries through funeral homes and newspaper archives. Whether you need a certified death certificate for legal purposes or want to trace your family history, the county office in Clifton can help you find what you need.

Greenlee County Vital Records Office

The Greenlee County Health Department runs the Office of Vital Registration in Clifton. This small office handles birth and death certificate requests for local residents and families. Staff can issue certified copies of death certificates for deaths that occurred anywhere in Arizona. You do not need to live in Greenlee County to use this office.

The office is at 253 5th Street in Clifton, AZ 85533. You can call them at (928) 865-2601. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is closed on Fridays. Visit the Greenlee County Vital Records page for more details about services and forms.

Payment methods are limited at this small office. They accept cash and money orders. Personal checks and credit cards may not be accepted. Bring exact payment when you visit in person. Call ahead to confirm current payment options and office hours before you make the trip to Clifton.

Note: This office may have limited staff, so wait times can vary depending on the day.

Who Can Get Greenlee County Death Certificates

Arizona is a closed record state. This means death certificates are not public records. Only certain people can get a certified copy. The state sets strict rules about who qualifies to receive these documents. This protects the privacy of families and prevents misuse of personal information.

People who can request a Greenlee County death certificate include the spouse of the deceased person, parents, adult children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. Legal representatives like attorneys can request copies for their clients. Funeral directors get copies as part of their work with families. Executors of estates need death certificates to settle affairs. Insurance companies and banks may request copies for claims and account closures.

You must prove your relationship to the deceased person. Bring documents that show how you are connected to the person who died. A valid photo ID is also required. The office will check your eligibility before issuing any certified copies. If you do not qualify, you cannot get a certified death certificate from Greenlee County or any other office in Arizona.

For older records, the rules change. Death records become public after 50 years. Anyone can view these older records without proving a relationship. This helps family historians and genealogists access records for research purposes.

How to Request Greenlee County Death Records

You can request a death certificate in person or by mail from the Greenlee County Health Department. In-person requests are the fastest option. Bring your ID and payment to the office in Clifton. Staff will process your request while you wait, though processing times may vary based on workload.

For mail requests, you need to send a completed application along with a copy of your photo ID. Include a money order for $20 per certified copy. Mail everything to the Greenlee County Health Department at 253 5th St., Clifton, AZ 85533. Allow extra time for mail delivery in both directions. Processing takes longer than in-person requests.

Here is what you need for your request:

• Full name of the deceased
• Date of death or approximate date
• Place of death in Greenlee County
• Your name and relationship to deceased
• Copy of your valid photo ID
• Payment of $20 per copy

If you are not sure where a person died, the state office in Phoenix can search their records. Deaths in Greenlee County are registered at the local office first and then sent to the state. Both offices can issue certified copies of death certificates.

Arizona State Vital Records for Greenlee County

The Arizona Department of Health Services maintains all vital records for the state. If you cannot visit the Greenlee County office, you can request death certificates from the state Bureau of Vital Records in Phoenix. The state office has records for deaths that occurred anywhere in Arizona since 1909. Some abstracts of earlier county records also exist.

The state office is at 150 North 18th Avenue, Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ 85007. You can reach them by phone at (602) 364-1300 or toll-free at (888) 816-5907. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The mailing address for requests is PO Box 6018, Phoenix, AZ 85005. Learn more at the Arizona Bureau of Vital Records website.

The state office does not accept personal checks. Use a money order or cashier's check made payable to the Bureau of Vital Records. The fee is $20 per certified copy. Corrections and amendments cost $30. Processing times vary based on volume. In-person requests at the Phoenix office are usually faster than mail orders.

You can also order online through VitalChek. This official partner of Arizona Vital Records lets you order from home. Extra service fees apply for online orders. VitalChek offers different shipping speeds if you need a certificate quickly.

Greenlee County Genealogy and Historical Records

Researching Greenlee County family history gets easier with free state resources. The Arizona Genealogy Database lets you search death records from 1870 to 1970. These older records are open to the public because they are more than 50 years old. You can view actual images of historic death certificates at no cost.

Find the database at genealogy.az.gov. Type in a name and search for matches. The records show names, dates, places of death, and other details. These are not certified copies. They are images meant for genealogical research. Under A.R.S. Section 36-351(B), the state releases non-certified copies of vital records once they reach the age threshold.

The Arizona Memory Project is another good resource. Run by the Arizona State Library, it has photos, documents, and old newspapers. You can search for Greenlee County obituaries in newspaper collections from the early 1900s. Find it at azmemory.azlibrary.gov. The collection covers Arizona history from 1863 forward.

The Arizona State Library also offers free obituary lookups. If you know the name, newspaper, and exact date of death, library staff will search for you at no charge. Contact them through the genealogy newspaper guide.

Arizona Death Record Laws

Arizona statutes set the rules for death records. These laws apply to Greenlee County and all other Arizona counties. Understanding these rules helps you know what to expect when requesting records.

A.R.S. Section 36-301 defines vital records terms. A death certificate is a registered record that documents a death. A certified copy is an official reproduction that a registrar has verified. Only certified copies have legal standing for most purposes. When you need a death certificate for court, insurance, or banking, you need a certified copy.

A.R.S. Section 36-324 covers who can receive copies of death certificates. The state registrar, local registrar, or deputy registrar can issue certified copies to eligible persons. The statute lists which family members and legal parties qualify. A certified copy has the same legal status as the original registered certificate in Arizona.

A.R.S. Section 36-325 explains death certificate registration. A funeral home or responsible person must complete the death certificate within seven days of taking possession of the body. The registrar then has 72 hours to register the certificate if it is accurate and complete. This law ensures deaths are recorded quickly in the state system.

Where to Find Greenlee County Obituaries

Greenlee County obituaries appear in local newspapers and funeral home websites. The Eastern Arizona Courier covers this region. Obituaries give details about a person's life that death certificates do not include. They list survivors, funeral plans, and personal stories. Check both sources when researching someone who died in Greenlee County.

Funeral homes in the area post obituaries online. Search by the name of the deceased or browse recent listings. Some families only publish through the funeral home and skip the newspaper. If you cannot find an obituary in the paper, try funeral home sites next.

For historical obituaries, use library resources. The Arizona State Library has newspaper archives going back to 1859. The vital records guide from the state library links to Ancestry and other databases. Arizona residents can access State Archives records on Ancestry for free through a library partnership. Visit a library or use their online portal to get this free access.

Note: Small counties like Greenlee may have fewer newspaper archives available online compared to larger metro areas.

Nearby Arizona Counties

Greenlee County sits in the eastern part of Arizona along the New Mexico border. If you are not sure which county to search for obituary records, check neighboring areas too. People sometimes die in a different county than where they lived. Each county has its own vital records office.

Counties near Greenlee include Graham County to the west, Apache County to the north, and Cochise County to the south. Graham County's office in Safford is closer than the state office in Phoenix. Apache County handles vital records in St. Johns. Cochise County has offices in Bisbee, Sierra Vista, and other towns.

If someone lived in Clifton or Morenci but died in a hospital in another county, the death certificate would be registered in that other county. You may need to check multiple locations when searching for records. The state genealogy database can help narrow down where a historical death was registered.

Greenlee County Death Certificate Fees

A certified death certificate from Greenlee County costs $20 per copy. This is the standard fee across Arizona. If you need multiple copies, each one costs $20. Some people order several copies at once for banks, insurance companies, and courts. You can save trips by getting all the copies you need at the same time.

Corrections to death certificates cost $30. If information on the certificate is wrong, you must file an amendment request. The office will review the request and supporting documents before making changes. Amended certificates take longer to process than standard requests.

The state office charges the same fees. VitalChek adds service fees on top of the $20 state fee. These cover online processing and shipping. If cost is a concern, request in person or by mail directly from the county or state office to avoid extra charges. Plan ahead to avoid rush shipping fees.