Search Obituary, Death and Burial Records by Name
Enter the person’s first name, last name and last known state to prepare an obituary, death, burial, cemetery, memorial and related public-record search.
Find Recent Death Notices in Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor
Searching for a recent death or obituary in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Chelsea, Saline, Dexter or another Washtenaw County community? Start with the local obituary publisher or funeral home. If you need an official death certificate, use Washtenaw County Vital Records or the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Quick Answer: Where Should You Search?
Ann Arbor News
Use the Ann Arbor News obituary listings on MLive/Legacy. Search by name or browse recent publication dates.
Handling Funeral Home
Use the funeral home’s individual memorial to confirm service times, venue, livestream, cemetery and family instructions.
Washtenaw County Clerk
The county maintains death records for deaths occurring in Washtenaw County from 1867 onward.
Ann Arbor District Library
Use its historical Ann Arbor newspapers, Old News collections and obituary-related archives.
How to Find Recent Washtenaw County Deaths and Ann Arbor Obituaries
The Ann Arbor News obituary pages include recent notices and filters for publication dates, funeral homes, schools and locations. These are useful starting points, but not every Washtenaw County death is announced in the newspaper.
Useful obituary search links
Ann Arbor News — Browse Obituaries Browse recent notices, publication dates, locations and funeral homes. Ann Arbor News — Search by Name Search first and last name with additional filters. Ann Arbor Area Obituaries Broader local results, including notices that may have appeared outside the Ann Arbor News.Search by Washtenaw County City or Community
Someone may have lived in one community, died at a hospital in another and been buried somewhere else. Search connected places when one city produces no result.
Ann Arbor
Include Ann Arbor neighborhoods, Ann Arbor Township, Pittsfield Township and nearby Scio Township when relevant.
Ypsilanti
Search Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, Superior Township and nearby community listings.
Chelsea
Try Chelsea, Sylvan Township, Lima Township and neighboring western Washtenaw communities.
Dexter
Search Dexter, Dexter Township, Webster Township and Scio Township.
Saline
Check Saline, Saline Township, Lodi Township and Pittsfield Township.
Manchester and Milan
Search Manchester and nearby townships. For Milan, confirm the county because the city spans more than one county.
Make Sure You Found the Correct Person
Do not share an obituary only because the name matches. Similar names can appear in local records, especially when searching a large county.
| Check | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Age or birth year | Separates people with similar names. |
| Relatives | Parents, spouse, children and siblings can confirm identity. |
| Community | Matches known Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti or county connections. |
| Funeral home | Provides a direct route to the original memorial. |
| Date of death | Distinguishes current notices from older records. |
| School, church or employer | Offers an additional identity clue when confirmed in the obituary. |
Verify Funeral, Visitation and Memorial Service Details
A newspaper obituary can contain the original arrangements. The handling funeral home is usually the better source for current information.
Visitation
Confirm the date, start time, end time and exact venue.
Funeral or Memorial
Check the church, chapel or other service location separately.
Burial
Use the named cemetery and verify graveside arrangements.
Livestream
Use links from the original funeral home, church or family-authorized page.
Flowers and Donations
Follow the family’s published request. Verify charity payment pages independently.
Public or Private?
Check whether the service is open to visitors before attending.
What to do after opening the funeral-home obituary
- Confirm the full name and dates.
- Read the entire service schedule.
- Write down each venue’s address separately.
- Check public/private attendance instructions.
- Look for a family-approved livestream, charity or flower route.
- Call the funeral home if information conflicts or appears incomplete.
What if You Cannot Find a Recent Washtenaw County Obituary?
A missing obituary does not prove that a death did or did not occur. Some families choose private services, delayed publication or no public notice.
- Search only the surname.
- Try nicknames, maiden names and prior surnames.
- Search both Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.
- Widen the publication date range.
- Try the funeral-home name instead of the newspaper.
- Add a spouse, child or parent as a search clue.
- Check local archives when the death happened years ago.
- Use official vital records when you need certified documentary proof.
Washtenaw County Death Certificates: Where and How to Order
The Washtenaw County Clerk / Register of Deeds maintains death records for deaths that occurred in the county from 1867 to the present. Certified copies are available through county Vital Records.
Washtenaw County Vital Records Office
Washtenaw County Clerk / Register of Deeds — Vital Records
200 North Main Street, Suite 100Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: 734-222-6720
General office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except applicable holidays.
County Certificate Fees
A local Washtenaw County funeral provider publishes $15 for the first certified death certificate and $5 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Because the county’s currently accessible overview does not display its full live fee schedule, confirm these amounts and any online convenience charge with the Clerk before paying.
| Order item | Published local reference | Before paying |
|---|---|---|
| First certified death certificate | $15 | Confirm current county fee. |
| Additional same-record copy | $5 each | Ask whether copies must be ordered together. |
| Online order | Extra charges may apply | Review the official checkout total. |
How to Order a Washtenaw County Death Certificate
Michigan State Death Certificates: Costs and Processing
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services maintains Michigan death records dating back to 1867. Its statewide service may be useful when the death occurred outside Washtenaw County or you need a state-issued record.
| Michigan service | Current state guidance |
|---|---|
| Standard record search | $34. |
| Online processing | $14 in addition to the standard search fee. |
| Regular processing | Currently listed as 10–12 weeks for standard birth, death, marriage and divorce records. |
| Expedited processing | Currently listed as 8–10 weeks; separate vendor and delivery options can have different timelines. |
| State office | 333 South Grand Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933. |
| Customer service | 517-335-8666. |
After opening Michigan Vital Records
- Choose the death-record category.
- Select certified copy, death verification or another available service based on your purpose.
- Review the current fee and estimated processing time.
- Select mail, online, telephone or another available ordering method.
- Use only the authorized provider linked by the state for online ordering.
- Save the confirmation and check the stated delivery timeline.
Michigan identifies VitalChek as its only authorized online ordering provider for state vital records.
Michigan MDHHS — Order a Vital Record Official statewide ordering, fees, processing times and customer support.How to Find Older Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County Obituaries
For older obituaries, Ann Arbor has several strong research resources. Do not limit your search to modern funeral-home websites.
Ann Arbor District Library — Old News
Old News contains digitized Ann Arbor newspaper articles, photographs and local history, including obituary material from historical newspapers.
Look for Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor Argus, Ann Arbor Courier and other collections.
Ann Arbor News Archive
The University of Michigan Library’s newspaper guide identifies full-text access to a nearly complete Ann Arbor News backfile from 1907 onward, with coverage and page-image limitations depending on the period.
Washtenaw Genealogical Society
The society maintains an obituary and newspaper-notice index covering 1930–2000.
The index is incomplete and has reproduction restrictions, so use it for permitted personal research and follow its stated terms.
Michiganology Death Records
The Archives of Michigan’s Michiganology site provides historical death-record searching by name, county, age and date range.
Its current guidance identifies 1943 as the most recent year of death records available online under the applicable law.
Historical obituary search method
- Start with the full name and approximate death year.
- Search Ann Arbor District Library’s historical newspaper collections.
- Try surname only when old newspaper text has scanning errors.
- Search a spouse, parent or other close relative.
- Look for the words “death,” “funeral,” “burial” or “services,” not just “obituary.”
- Check the Washtenaw genealogical index or Michiganology for another date clue.
- Use a library research request when online searching is unsuccessful.
Ann Arbor Cemetery Records, Grave Locations and Burial Fees
First check the cemetery named in the funeral-home notice. If it is not listed, do not assume the person was buried in Ann Arbor.
Fairview Cemetery — Official City of Ann Arbor Records
Fairview Cemetery
1401 Wright Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Fairview Cemetery is owned and operated by the City of Ann Arbor. The city provides a cemetery map and help locating burial sites.
Visiting hours: dawn to dusk.
City Clerk Office:
301 East Huron Street, Second Floor
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Phone: 734-994-2725
Fairview Cemetery Burial Costs — Effective July 1, 2026
| City cemetery service | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Full grave lot — Ann Arbor resident | $850 |
| Full grave lot — nonresident | $1,100 |
| Adult full burial opening/closing — Monday–Friday | $900 |
| Adult full burial opening/closing — Saturday | $1,100 |
| Cremation interment — Monday–Friday | $500 |
| Cremation interment — Saturday | $750 |
| Lot ownership transfer | $150 |
These are specific City of Ann Arbor Fairview Cemetery fees, not typical burial prices for every Washtenaw County cemetery. Other services and charges may apply.
How to locate a burial or grave
- Find the cemetery name in the obituary.
- Confirm the city and cemetery office.
- Write the person’s full name and date of death.
- Check the cemetery’s official burial lookup or contact its staff.
- For Fairview, ask the City Clerk for help finding the burial location.
- Confirm grounds hours and visitor rules before visiting.
Washtenaw County Medical Examiner Records
When a death is sudden, unexpected, violent or suspicious, the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner may have an investigative role. This is different from the Clerk’s office that issues certified death certificates.
Need a Death Certificate?
Use Washtenaw County Vital Records for the certified document when the death occurred in the county.
Need an Autopsy Report?
Use the Medical Examiner’s official record-request route. Availability can depend on the investigation and applicable disclosure rules.
Funeral and Burial Payment Assistance in Washtenaw County
Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services provides burial assistance for qualifying situations when the deceased person’s estate and other available resources are not sufficient.
Michigan Burial Services — Maximum Listed Payments
| Service | Current maximum total |
|---|---|
| Burial with memorial service | $875 |
| Burial without memorial service | $610 |
| Cremation with memorial service | $640 |
| Cremation without memorial service | $390 |
| Fetus or infant under one month | $240 |
How to check eligibility
- Open the Michigan MDHHS Burial Services page.
- Review the program eligibility rules and covered expenses.
- Collect the funeral-home estimate and available estate-resource information.
- Ask about the payment limit and any required contributions.
- Use MI Bridges or the official application route directed by MDHHS.
- Apply within the official deadline and keep the confirmation.
Washtenaw County Veteran Burial and Survivor Benefits
Veterans and certain surviving family members may qualify for federal burial benefits, memorial benefits or state and county assistance.
Federal VA Benefits
Depending on eligibility, benefits may include national cemetery burial, grave opening and closing, perpetual care, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.
Michigan County Burial Benefit
Michigan’s Veterans Affairs Agency notes a possible $300 county burial benefit for qualifying Veterans, spouses or surviving spouses who meet residency and asset limits.
Washtenaw Veterans Affairs
The county Veterans Affairs department offers assistance with federal and county burial benefits, DIC, survivors’ pensions, discharge records and other related matters.
National Cemeteries
Michigan identifies Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta and Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly as the two state national cemeteries currently accepting remains.
Before applying, prepare
- Veteran’s DD-214 or equivalent discharge document.
- Official death certificate or accepted proof of death.
- Proof of relationship, when needed.
- Itemized funeral and cemetery invoices.
- Any required income or financial documentation.
Funeral Costs, License Verification and Consumer Rights
If you are planning funeral or cremation arrangements in Ann Arbor or Washtenaw County, confirm the provider’s license and request clear, itemized prices.
Federal Funeral Rule
- Ask for price information over the telephone.
- Request the General Price List when discussing arrangements in person.
- Compare individual services rather than accepting an unwanted package.
- Ask about third-party cemetery, crematory, transportation and newspaper charges.
- Review the total itemized statement before authorizing payment.
Verify a Michigan Funeral Home
Michigan LARA regulates funeral establishments, mortuary-science professionals and certain cemetery and crematory activities.
- Open the Michigan funeral director licensing page.
- Select the public license-verification option.
- Search the establishment or professional name.
- Compare the business details and license status.
- Use LARA’s official complaint route when a licensing concern needs review.
After You Find the Obituary: A Simple Checklist
Before the Service
- Save the obituary URL.
- Confirm date, time and address.
- Check whether the service is public.
- Verify cemetery directions.
- Use only official livestream and donation links.
For Family Records
- Order certified copies if needed.
- Ask about Social Security reporting.
- Check insurance and estate requirements.
- Keep funeral and cemetery invoices.
- Review possible assistance and veteran benefits.
Related RecentObituaries.info Guides
Obituary Search and Recent Notices Search by name, location, funeral home, newspaper and date. Death Certificate and Vital Records Guide Understand certified copies, official records and issuing offices. After-Death Notification Checklist Social Security, insurance, banks, mail, estate paperwork and fraud prevention. Veterans Burial and Memorial Benefits VA burial, national cemeteries, markers, flags and survivor resources.Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor Obituary FAQs
Where can I find recent deaths in Washtenaw County?
Start with Ann Arbor News obituary listings, local funeral-home websites and other original notices. Confirm the correct person using age, relatives, community and dates.
Where can I find Ann Arbor obituaries published today?
Open the Ann Arbor News obituary browse page on MLive/Legacy and use the latest publication-date filter. Remember that a notice posted today may describe an earlier death.
Does Washtenaw County publish every recent death online?
No. The county maintains official death records, but not every death appears in a public online obituary or funeral notice. Families may choose private arrangements or no public obituary.
How far back do Washtenaw County death records go?
Washtenaw County Vital Records maintains death records for deaths occurring within the county from 1867 onward.
How much is a Washtenaw County death certificate?
A local funeral provider publishes $15 for the first certified copy and $5 for each additional copy of the same record ordered together. Verify current fees and any processing charges directly with Washtenaw County before paying.
Can anyone order a Michigan death certificate?
Michigan death records are generally public. An applicant ordinarily does not need to prove a family relationship to request a certified death record, although order procedures and fees apply.
How do I find older Ann Arbor obituaries?
Search Ann Arbor District Library’s Old News collections, the Ann Arbor News archive, Washtenaw genealogical indexes and Michiganology historical death records.
How can I locate a grave at Fairview Cemetery?
Use the City of Ann Arbor’s Fairview Cemetery page and map. For burial-location assistance, contact the City Clerk at 734-994-2725.
Does Michigan offer funeral or cremation payment assistance?
Michigan MDHHS offers Burial Services for qualifying situations. The official application deadline is generally 20 business days after burial, cremation or body donation, and financial eligibility rules apply.
Where can Washtenaw County veterans’ families get burial help?
Contact Washtenaw County Veterans Affairs or the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. Eligible families may qualify for federal cemetery benefits and certain state or county assistance.
Is an obituary the same as a death certificate?
No. An obituary is a public announcement or memorial. A certified death certificate is issued by the responsible government vital-record office.
Official Sources and Research Links
Washtenaw County Vital Records County death records, ordering methods and official contact routes. Michigan MDHHS Vital Records State records, current fees and application options. Ann Arbor News Obituary Listings Recent newspaper notices, search filters and local funeral-home information. Ann Arbor District Library Old News Historical Ann Arbor articles, newspapers and archival research. Michiganology Historical Vital Records Historical state death-record searches. City of Ann Arbor Fairview Cemetery Official cemetery information, maps and burial contacts. Michigan MDHHS Burial Assistance Eligibility, financial assistance and deadlines. Michigan LARA Funeral Licensing Funeral establishment and mortuary-science license verification.Before You Share, Travel or Pay
- Confirm the correct person with more than a matching name.
- Use the handling funeral home for current service information.
- Keep the place of death separate from the place of residence.
- Use Washtenaw County or Michigan Vital Records for certified documents.
- Check the original cemetery office before visiting a grave.
- Ask about burial assistance and veteran benefits before assuming the full cost must be paid privately.
- Avoid unverified payment requests, medical claims and private family information.
RecentObituaries.info is an independent research and source-navigation guide. It is not affiliated with the Washtenaw County Clerk, Michigan MDHHS, Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor District Library, a funeral home or cemetery. Verify current information directly with the responsible organization.