Longview Obituary Records
Searching for obituary and death records in Longview starts with Cowlitz County, which handles vital records and maintains historical death documentation for the region. Longview residents can access death certificates, historical obituary indexes, and genealogy resources through multiple channels including the county health office, the Longview Public Library, and the Washington State Digital Archives. This page covers where to look, what to request, and how to order certified copies of Longview death records from local and state sources.
Longview Overview
Cowlitz County Death Certificates
Cowlitz County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) issues certified death certificates and noncertified informational copies for deaths that occurred on or after January 1, 2018 statewide. The office may also have records for deaths between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2017 if they were filed electronically. Paper death records from 2014 through 2017 are not at the county and must be ordered from the state office instead.
Walk-in orders are normally available the next business day after 2 p.m. Mail-in orders go out the next business day via regular USPS mail. You can also place phone or internet orders through VitalChek at 1-866-687-1464, with pickup available at the county office.
| Office | Cowlitz County Health & Human Services |
|---|---|
| Address | 1952 9th Avenue, Longview, WA 98632 |
| Phone | 1-866-687-1464 (VitalChek line) |
| Website | wa-cowlitzcounty.civicplus.com |
Under RCW 70.58A, only qualified applicants may receive certified copies. You must show proof of identity and eligible relationship. Noncertified informational copies are available to anyone but carry a watermark and cannot be used for legal purposes. Email and fax orders are not accepted at the Cowlitz County office.
The Cowlitz County Auditor's Office at 207 N 4th Avenue, Kelso, holds historical records including death records from 1892 to June 1907 and marriage records from 1844. You can search some recorded documents through their public records portal or visit in person during business hours.
Washington Digital Archives - Longview Deaths
The Washington State Digital Archives hosts the Department of Health Death Index covering July 1, 1907 through 1960 and 1965 through 2017. The database contains over 2.3 million records statewide, including all Cowlitz County and Longview deaths within those date ranges. It is free to search online.
For Longview and Cowlitz County, the Digital Archives also holds a separate collection: Cowlitz County Auditor Death Records, 1898-1907. This collection has 70 records with index and images of the original death returns. The records typically include the decedent's name, date and place of death, age, race, gender, cause of death, birthplace, occupation, and parents' names. The Southwest Region Branch at (360) 753-1684 can assist with this collection.
The death index entries for 1907 through 1960 were transcribed by volunteers through the FamilySearch Indexing Project and contain more detail than the 1965-2017 entries, which were provided directly from DOH records. Scanned death certificates are available up to 1999. Index records only are available for 2000 through 2017.
Note: If you believe a record is in error, contact the Washington Department of Health Center for Health Statistics at (360) 236-4313 to file a correction request.
Historical Longview Obituary Sources
The Longview Public Library maintains a partial obituary index covering local newspapers including the Daily News and its predecessors. The library's Longview Room on the mezzanine holds local history collections and archive images related to Longview and Cowlitz County history. Patrons can come in to view and print obituaries from the library's microfilm collection.
According to Washington Genealogy, the Longview Public Library's obituary index covers citations from 1871 through 2017, pulling from all Cowlitz County newspapers. The site also notes the Daily News Obituaries are indexed at GenealogyBank for 2000 to current and at Ancestry.com for shorter date windows. These are useful when you know an approximate death year but don't have a certificate number.
FamilySearch lists several Cowlitz County funeral homes that may hold historical records, including Columbia Funeral Service and Steele Chapel at Longview Memorial Park, both in Longview. Funeral homes often retain records for decades and may be able to provide information about past services. Local newspapers referenced for Cowlitz County research include the Longview Daily News, Kelso Courier, and Kelso Tribune, many of which are on microfilm at the library.
For pre-1907 deaths, the county registers were kept by the Cowlitz County Auditor. Those records were microfilmed and are at the Washington State Library. The State Library held a direct obituary lookup service for many years. Though that service has been discontinued due to budget cuts, the library's collection of Washington newspapers, digital resources, and special collections remains available. Researchers can still submit inquiries through the Ask-A-Librarian service.
Genealogy Resources in Longview
The Longview Public Library's genealogy collection is a joint project of the library and the Lower Columbia Genealogical Society. The society assists researchers with genealogy questions and maintains an archive of Cowlitz County family records. Society volunteers handle research requests submitted through their website.
The library also has the Longview Obituary Index available for patron use. This index is a finding aid for obituaries published in local papers and can be searched by name. Once you locate a citation, library staff can pull the microfilm for you to view the full text.
The Washington State Library's Vital Records LibGuide lists the Cowlitz County Auditor Death Records, 1898-1907, as available on microform in the state library's genealogy collection. It also lists the Kalama City Clerk Burial Transit Permits, 1941-1943, as a Cowlitz County resource. You can submit specific name lookup requests to the State Library with a date range using the Ask-A-Librarian page. Requests should include as much detail as possible: full name, approximate death date, and newspaper if known.
Note: The Washington State Library no longer offers direct obituary lookup service due to staff reductions, but its microfilm and digital newspaper collections remain open for researcher use.
Ordering Longview Death Records
For deaths that occurred before 2014, you must order from the Washington State Department of Health. The DOH maintains death records from July 1, 1907 to present for the entire state. You can order online through VitalChek at any time. Online and phone orders cost $40.50 per certificate. Mail orders cost $25 per certificate and take 8-10 weeks.
There are three types of Washington death records you can request:
- Long form death certificate: includes cause and manner of death and social security number; needed for insurance claims and benefit applications
- Short form death certificate: official certified copy without cause of death or SSN; used for title transfers and real estate
- Noncertified informational copy: same content as the short form but watermarked; available to anyone, no relationship required
To place any order, you need the deceased's full name, the date or approximate date of death (month and year), and the city or county where the death occurred. For certified copies, you also need valid photo identification and documentation of your qualifying relationship. The DOH phone line is 360-236-4300 for questions about status of orders.
Local health departments including the Cowlitz County office may offer same-day in-person service for eligible records. There may be an additional fee for same-day service. Call ahead to confirm availability before making the trip. VitalChek is the only state-authorized third-party vendor. Other companies that advertise help with vital records are not state-approved and charge higher fees.
Cowlitz County Obituary Records
Longview is in Cowlitz County. All death certificates and vital records for Longview residents are processed through Cowlitz County and the state office. For more details on county-level resources, the county courthouse, and additional search options, visit the Cowlitz County records page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are in the same region or nearby counties. Each has its own local resources for obituary and death record research.