Whitman County Obituary Records

Whitman County obituary and death records are available through the Whitman County Public Health office, the Washington State Department of Health, the Washington State Digital Archives, and a range of genealogy databases. Whether you are looking for a certified death certificate for legal use or searching historical records for family research, Whitman County has sources going back to the 1890s. The county seat is Colfax, and the county is home to Washington State University in Pullman, which gives the county a mix of long-established farming families and a more transient academic population in the records.

Whitman County Public Health Vital Records

Whitman County Public Health is the local office for ordering birth and death certificates for Whitman County. The office issues certified copies of birth certificates for anyone born in the State of Washington since 1907, and in some cases records may go back as far as 1875. For death certificates, the county health department has all death certificates on file since 2013; for deaths before 2013, you need to order from the Washington State Department of Health. Only qualified applicants can receive a certified copy under Washington's vital records law.

For deaths before 2013, the Washington State Department of Health vital records page is the source. Mail orders go to: Washington Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709. The mail fee is $25 per certificate and takes 8 to 10 weeks to process. Online and phone orders through VitalChek start at $40.50 per certificate and typically ship within 3 to 7 business days. Processing time at the county office is typically 2 to 3 weeks when applying directly there.

Washington law under RCW 70.58A has restricted certified copies of death certificates to qualified applicants since January 1, 2021. Eligible requestors include the subject of the record (if 18 or older), spouse or domestic partner, parent or step-parent, child or stepchild, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, legal representative, authorized representative, or a government agency conducting official duties. For birth records, wait at least 15 days after birth before applying. For recent death records, the county health office recommends waiting until the funeral home confirms the record is ready.

The Whitman County Auditor's Office at 400 N Main Street, Colfax, WA 99111, phone (509) 397-6200, issues marriage licenses at approximately $64 each, with a three-day waiting period. Divorce decrees are court records maintained by the Superior Court Clerk, not the vital records office.

Washington State Digital Archives Death Index

The Washington State Digital Archives Death Certificate Index is the best free tool for searching Whitman County obituary and death records from 1907 through the mid-2000s. The index covers all Washington deaths from July 1, 1907 through 1960 and again from 1965 through 2017. The full index holds more than 2.3 million records and is open to anyone at no cost with no account required.

The 1907 to 1960 portion was transcribed by volunteers from original certificates and often includes cause of death, names of surviving relatives, and place of burial. The 1965 to 2017 portion came directly from the Department of Health and contains less biographical detail but still confirms key facts including name, date of death, and county. For Whitman County residents who died before the county health office's 2013 cutoff, the Digital Archives is the go-to free starting point.

Death records for 1961 through 1964 are not online; those years are on microfilm at the State Archives in Olympia. Images of actual death certificates are available for deaths more than 25 years ago. To order a certified copy after finding a record in the index, contact the Center for Health Statistics at (360) 236-4313 or (360) 236-4312. The CDC's Where to Write for Vital Records page for Washington confirms the main office number is (360) 236-4300.

The page shown here is the Washington State Digital Archives Whitman County vital records collection, showing the primary free resource for historical Whitman County death index searches.

This resource lets you search the statewide death index at no charge and view certificate images for older Whitman County deaths.

Whitman County Historical Death Records

Whitman County was formed in 1871 from part of Stevens County and is named after Dr. Marcus Whitman. The county auditor began keeping birth and death records in 1891, and those records from 1891 through 1907 are now indexed and available as images through the Washington State Digital Archives. The Whitman County Courthouse in Colfax holds marriage records from 1872 through 1891, probate records from 1870, divorce and court records from 1864, and naturalization records from 1862 through 1942. No courthouse disasters are known in Whitman County's history, so the record survival rate is generally good.

FamilySearch holds the Whitman County Auditor Death Records, 1891-1907, as an indexed and image collection, and the Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960, as a searchable index. Both are free with a FamilySearch account. The FamilySearch Whitman County Genealogy wiki lists all available digital collections and explains what is in each. It also notes that the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Fatal Accident Cards from 1915 through 1928 may contain Whitman County workplace deaths.

The Washington State Library holds the Register of Deaths - Whitman County on microfilm (GEN MICRO 979.739 DEATH 1893-1907), which covers the county auditor register of deaths from July 15, 1893 through June 12, 1907. This microfilm is available at the State Library in Olympia. Researchers can also submit specific lookup requests through the Ask-A-Librarian service on the Washington State Library vital records LibGuide. That guide explains the full structure of Washington death record sources and how to navigate them.

Whitman County Auditor Miscellaneous Recordings

The Whitman County Auditor Miscellaneous Recordings collection at the Washington State Digital Archives covers recorded documents from 1987 to the present that were not categorized into an existing record series. Document types include death certificates, birth certificates, name changes, trusts, and wage liens. The collection is open for research. The Whitman County Auditor transfers records periodically, and the current year may not be complete at any given time. For best search results, search by the name of the grantor or grantee, or filter by year.

Related records inquiries for this collection can be directed to the Washington State Archives Eastern Region Branch at (509) 235-7508 or eabrancharchives@sos.wa.gov. That branch handles records from Whitman County and surrounding eastern Washington counties.

The page shown here is the Washington State Digital Archives Whitman County Auditor collection, which covers recorded vital documents and related materials from 1987 to the present.

This collection supplements the historical death index with more recent recorded vital documents from Whitman County, including some death certificates filed with the auditor.

The Whitman County public records directory confirms the Whitman County Health Department at 1205 SE Professional Mall Blvd, Pullman, WA 99163 and the Whitman County Auditor at 400 N Main Street, Colfax, WA 99111 as the two main county-level offices for vital records and recorded documents respectively. Applicants must provide valid photo identification and demonstrate a direct and tangible interest in the record as required by RCW 70.58A.

Note: The Washington State Library's vital records LibGuide notes that anyone can request a copy of a Washington State death certificate from the Department of Health without proving a family connection for informational, non-certified copies. Only certified copies require proof of a qualifying relationship.

Ordering Whitman County Death Certificates

You have multiple options for ordering a certified death certificate for a Whitman County death. For deaths from 2013 to present, the Whitman County Health Department at 1205 SE Professional Mall Blvd, Pullman can issue certificates at $25 for the first copy and $20 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. In-person requests at the county office may be same-day depending on record availability. For deaths before 2013, order from the Washington State Department of Health using the state DOH vital records ordering page.

Mail orders sent to the state go to: Washington Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, P.O. Box 9709, Olympia, WA 98507-9709. Processing takes about 8 to 10 weeks from when payment is received. Online and phone orders through VitalChek start at $40.50 per certificate and typically ship within 3 to 7 business days. The Consumer Resource Center at 206-464-6684 or 800-551-4636 (Washington only) is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

For any death certificate order, you need the deceased's full name, date or approximate date of death, and city or county of death. You must also provide valid government-issued photo identification and proof of your qualifying relationship to the deceased. Certified long form certificates include cause and manner of death and the decedent's Social Security number and are limited to qualified applicants. Short form certificates omit that data and are used for probate. Noncertified informational copies are available to a broader group and are useful for genealogy.

Genealogy Resources for Whitman County Deaths

Researchers tracing family history in Whitman County have a solid set of tools available. The Social Security Death Index covers most deaths from 1935 onward and is searchable free through FamilySearch, Ancestry, and other genealogy platforms. The Washington Death Index on Ancestry.com is another useful cross-reference, especially when searching for deaths in the mid-20th century that may not be fully indexed in the state Digital Archives.

Newspaper obituaries from Whitman County are available through several channels. The Pullman Herald and the Colfax Gazette and their predecessors are the main local papers. Back issues have been microfilmed and are accessible at the Washington State Library and through some library subscription databases. FindAGrave has listings for Whitman County cemeteries including the Elberton Cemetery, the Colfax City Cemetery, and dozens of rural sites across the Palouse. Many entries include photos of markers and links to submitted obituaries.

The Washington State Library's Ask-A-Librarian service can handle specific death record lookups through the statewide microfiche index covering July 1, 1907 through 2004. That service and the full context for Washington death record research are described on the Washington State Library vital records LibGuide. If you can't travel to Olympia, the Ask-A-Librarian lookup is a practical free option for finding a specific death date and record reference before ordering a certified copy.

For deaths before the county auditor began recording them in 1891, the federal census, church records, and territorial records are the main alternative sources. The Whitman County Historical Society in Colfax may hold obituary clippings, family files, and newspaper collections that provide detail not captured in official death certificates.

Cities in Whitman County

Whitman County communities include Colfax, Pullman, Palouse, Rosalia, and several small rural towns across the Palouse region. No cities in Whitman County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

Whitman County borders several other eastern Washington counties. Each has its own vital records system and courthouse.