Maple Valley Obituary Database
Maple Valley obituary and death records fall under King County, which manages vital records for this southeast King County community. Researchers can access death certificates, historical cemetery records, and obituary indexes through King County Vital Statistics, the King County Library System, the Seattle Public Library, and the Washington State Digital Archives. This page covers every major source and explains how to request certified death records for Maple Valley residents.
Maple Valley Overview
King County Death Certificates
King County Vital Statistics handles all birth and death certificate orders for King County, including Maple Valley. Certificates can be ordered online through VitalChek, by phone at 1-888-273-4623, by mail, or in person at the Seattle office. The fee is $25 per certificate. In-person orders at the VitalChek kiosk typically produce certificates within 10 to 15 minutes. There are no refunds if a record cannot be located or if you are not eligible as a qualified applicant.
King County's online ordering page is at kingcounty.gov. Online orders through VitalChek carry additional fees: an Other Agency fee of $6 and a VCN Handling fee of $11.50 which includes standard shipping. Rush delivery via UPS costs an additional $18.50. In-person orders at the Vital Records Office lobby run 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., located on the second floor in the East Lobby.
Under RCW 70.58A, effective January 1, 2021, only qualified applicants with a direct and tangible interest may receive certified copies. Qualifying relationships include spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, legal representative, and government agencies. Proof of identity and relationship is required with every certified copy request.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office at kingcounty.gov/medical-examiner investigates sudden, unexpected, and unnatural deaths in King County. For deaths investigated by the Medical Examiner, families should select a funeral home within three days to coordinate release of the deceased.
Washington Digital Archives
The Washington State Digital Archives hosts the Death Index covering July 1907 through 1960 and 1965 through 2017 for the entire state. All King County deaths are included, covering Maple Valley residents going back well over a century. The database is free to search, and scanned death certificates are available for records up to 1999. For 2000 through 2017, only the index entries are online.
Records in the 1907-1960 portion were transcribed by volunteers through the FamilySearch Indexing Project and contain more detailed information, often including occupation, birthplace, and parents' names. The 1965-2017 records were extracted from DOH systems and have less supplemental detail. Either way, the index entry gives you the certificate number and date needed to order a certified copy from DOH.
The King County Archives also holds a collection of historical death records. According to kingcounty.gov/archives, the collection includes death registers, coroner's records, death certificates, and burial permits for the Seattle-King County area going back to 1891. These records complement the state-level collection and are essential for Maple Valley families with deep King County roots.
The Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives is another source for Maple Valley researchers. It holds territorial census, birth, marriage, death, school district, voter, and property records from King, Kitsap, and Pierce counties. Contact the branch before visiting, as some materials may require appointments.
Maple Valley Cemetery and Historical Sources
Maple Valley Hobart Cemetery burial records are compiled by the King County Genealogical Society and published at Interment.net. The records include names and dates of persons buried in Maple Valley Hobart Cemetery. Each entry typically includes the full name, birth and death dates, and often notes about military service, marriage, and family relationships. Entries use shorthand such as "h/o" (husband of), "w/o" (wife of), and source codes like "DC" (death certificate) and "O" (obituary). The database is arranged alphabetically and serves as a finding aid for this historic King County cemetery.
The Seattle Municipal Archives maintains the Seattle Cemetery Removal and Reburial Register, which documents early Seattle and King County burials from 1861 to 1884. While not specific to Maple Valley, these resources cover the broader King County area. The archives also hold Seattle City Directories from 1890 to 1990 that can help trace Maple Valley families with Seattle connections. You can learn more at the Seattle Municipal Archives research page.
The Washington State Library holds specific compiled resources for south King County. These include Kent Area Obituaries Extracted from Early Kent, Washington Newspapers (1893-1934), King County, Washington Deaths 1891-1907, and Memorial Records of South King County covering multiple cemeteries including Maple Valley-Hobart. These are available as physical items in the state library's genealogy collection.
Library Resources for Maple Valley Obituaries
The King County Library System (KCLS) serves Maple Valley and accepts obituary copy requests via email reference. Patrons should provide the full name, place of death, and date of death. Any specific newspaper information you have should be included. You can submit a request through the KCLS genealogy FAQ page.
The Seattle Public Library provides genealogy databases that King County residents including Maple Valley can access with a Seattle Public Library card. Available resources include HeritageHub (U.S. obituaries and death notices from 1704 to today), Ancestry Library Edition (in-library use), Seattle Times (1895-current), and Seattle Post-Intelligencer (1901-current). The library's genealogy librarians assist with obituary look-ups and can search subscription databases remotely for cardholders. Seattle obituaries from roughly 1985 to 2003 are available only on microfilm and require a library card for microfilm searches.
The Washington State Library holds vital records, city directories, old newspapers, and county histories for the Maple Valley region. The library's Vital Records in Washington State LibGuide at washstatelib.libguides.com walks researchers through the full range of King County death record collections and how to access them. Lookup requests by specific name can be submitted through the Ask-A-Librarian service with a date range to narrow the search.
Note: The Washington State Library no longer provides a direct obituary lookup service, but its digital newspaper collections and Ask-A-Librarian service are still active for research assistance.
Ordering Maple Valley Death Records
You can order Maple Valley death records from King County Vital Statistics or from the Washington State Department of Health. King County phone orders go through VitalChek at 1-888-273-4623. State orders go through VitalChek at 1-866-687-1464 or online at doh.wa.gov.
Three types of death records are available:
- Long form death certificate: includes cause and manner of death and social security number; needed for life insurance, bank accounts, and benefits
- Short form death certificate: certified copy without cause of death; used for title transfers and real estate
- Noncertified informational copy: same as the short form but watermarked and available to anyone without proof of relationship
Online and phone orders through VitalChek cost $40.50 per certificate. Mail orders cost $25 per certificate. You need the full name of the deceased, month and year of death, and city or county of death. Certified copies also require a valid photo ID and proof of qualifying relationship. Mail orders to the DOH go to: Center for Health Statistics, Department of Health, PO Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507. Expect 8-10 weeks for mail orders.
King County Obituary Records
Maple Valley is in King County. All death filings and vital records for Maple Valley are processed through King County and the state office. Visit the King County records page for more information on courthouse resources and additional genealogy tools.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Maple Valley and file death records through their respective county systems.