Union County Obituary Records

Union County obituary records are available through the county clerk in La Grande. The county was created on October 14, 1864, from Baker County. Death records begin in 1905. The county seat is La Grande, a small city in the Grande Ronde Valley of northeast Oregon. Union County birth records also start in 1905, and marriage records go back to 1864. The first copy of a death certificate costs $20. Each additional copy is $15. You can also order through VitalChek for $32.50, which includes a $12.50 processing fee.

Union County Obituary Records at the Clerk's Office

The Union County Clerk in La Grande handles vital records requests. Birth certificates are available from the clerk's office for births that took place in Union County. Death records follow the same process. The first certified copy is $20. Each extra copy ordered at the same time costs $15. Bring valid ID and the name and date of death for the person you need.

The clerk's website shows how to request a birth certificate from Union County. The same office handles death certificate orders.

This page describes the process and fees for ordering certified vital records from Union County.

You can also order a Union County death certificate through VitalChek. The total cost is $32.50. That includes the $20 state fee and a $12.50 processing charge. VitalChek is faster than mail but costs more. For in-person requests, visit the clerk's office in La Grande during business hours.

Note: Union County was carved from Baker County in 1864. If you are looking for a death or obituary record from before that date, check Baker County records instead.

Union County Death Records

Death records in Union County start in 1905. Before that year, formal records are rare. Early deaths in the Grande Ronde Valley were sometimes noted in church registers or newspaper notices but not filed with the county. If you need a record from before 1905, newspaper archives and cemetery listings are your best options.

The County Office website provides a directory for Union County death records and links to ordering information.

This directory page lists the offices and contact details for requesting death records from Union County.

Two funeral homes serve Union County today. Daniels-Knopp Funeral Cremation and Loveland Funeral Chapel both operate in the La Grande area. These firms may have records of services they conducted. Older funeral home records can sometimes fill gaps in the public record. If the county office does not have the obituary you seek, contact the funeral home that may have handled the service.

How to Find Union County Obituary Notices

An index to obituary notices and vital records from Union County covers 1890 to 1930. This index is a strong starting point for older research. It lists names, dates, and the source of each notice. Many of the notices come from La Grande newspapers that ran in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The Historic Oregon Newspapers site has digitized some Union County papers. Search by name and date range at no cost. This is one of the best free tools for finding the full text of an obituary from Union County. The La Grande Observer and other local papers are partially available.

For statewide coverage, the Oregon Death Index at Ancestry covers 1898 to 2008. This index includes Union County records. You need an Ancestry subscription to search it, but many public libraries offer free access. The index gives the name, date of death, and county. It does not include full obituary text, but it can confirm that a death was recorded in Union County.

Note: The 1890 to 1930 obituary index may be held at the local library or genealogy society. Contact the Union County library in La Grande to ask about access.

Union County Records at the State Archives

The Oregon State Archives in Salem holds historical records from Union County. The collection includes court files, naturalization papers, and vital records indexes. Naturalization records from Union County span 1868 to 1991. These documents often list a person's country of birth and date of arrival, which can help confirm an identity found in an obituary.

The State Archives page lists the types of Union County records held in Salem, including death indexes and military service records.

Union County also has Civil War and World War I service records at the archives. These military files can tie into obituary research. Many Union County obituary notices from the early 1900s mention a person's military service. Checking the service records alongside the obituary can add depth to your research.

Cemetery records from Union County are well covered on Find a Grave. The cemeteries near La Grande hold graves going back to the 1860s. Headstone data can confirm details from a death certificate or obituary notice.

Union County Obituary and Genealogy Tools

The Ancestor Hunt lists free death record indexes that cover Oregon, including Union County. The Genealogical Forum of Oregon in Portland has obituary clipping files, death indexes, and a research library open to the public.

Key resources for Union County death and obituary research:

• Union County Clerk's Office in La Grande
• Oregon State Archives in Salem
• Oregon Death Index 1898-2008 at Ancestry
• University of Oregon Historic Newspapers
• Find a Grave for Union County cemeteries

For online ordering, the Oregon Health Authority manages statewide vital records. You can also use VitalChek for faster service. Oregon law under ORS 432 governs who may receive a certified death certificate. Informational copies are open to anyone.

The OnGenealogy directory links to many free Union County death record tools. Use more than one source for the best chance of finding what you need. A single search may not catch every obituary or death record from Union County.

Nearby Counties

Union County borders Baker County, Wallowa County, Umatilla County, and Grant County. If the person you are searching for lived near a county line, check records in the next county over. Deaths were sometimes filed where the person died rather than where they lived. Baker County may also hold older records from before Union County was formed in 1864. Wallowa County, to the east, shares many family ties with Union County.