Access Woodbury Obituary Records

Woodbury obituary records and death certificates are filed with Washington County, which serves as the local registrar for all deaths that occur in the city. This guide explains how to find death records through Washington County, the Minnesota Department of Health online index, the Woodbury Heritage Society, and Washington County Library collections.

Washington County Vital Records

Washington County handles death records for Woodbury and all other cities within the county. The Washington County vital records office is at 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater, MN 55082. You can reach them at 651-430-6175. Certified death certificates cost $13 for the first copy and $6 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. You will need valid photo ID when requesting records in person.

Washington County processes both in-person and mail requests. Visit Washington County Vital Records for current forms, hours, and instructions on how to request records by mail. If you are not sure whether a record exists, check the MDH online death index before you travel to Stillwater. The county phone number is 651-430-6175 if you have questions about what to bring or how long requests take.

The City of Woodbury website provides local government resources and can direct residents to Washington County vital records services for death certificate requests.

Minnesota Death Search Index

The Minnesota Department of Health provides a free online death index that covers deaths registered statewide from 1908 through 2001. The index lets you search by name and see the date of death and the county of record. This is not a certified copy, but it confirms whether a record exists and gives you what you need to place an order.

Search at MDH Death Search Index. After finding the record, you can order a certified copy from Washington County or from MDH directly. MDH charges $13 per certified certificate. The full ordering instructions are at MDH Vital Records. The MDH County Registrar Directory lists all county offices and their contact information. The index is free and no login is required.

Woodbury Heritage Society

The Woodbury Heritage Society preserves local history materials for the Woodbury area. Their website is at Woodbury Heritage Society. Local heritage organizations often hold obituary clippings, cemetery records, old newspapers, and other historical materials that do not appear in official county or state databases. For someone who died in Woodbury decades ago, the heritage society may have records or know where to direct you.

Contacting a local historical group is especially useful when you are researching deaths before statewide registration in 1908, or when official records are incomplete. Staff and volunteers at heritage organizations are often familiar with local cemeteries, churches, and community records that cover the area's earliest years.

The Woodbury Heritage Society maintains local history materials including records and resources that can help researchers trace Woodbury residents across many generations.

Washington County Library

Washington County Library provides free access to genealogy databases for cardholders. Their website is at Washington County Library. At library branches you can access Ancestry Library Edition and other subscription databases at no cost. These databases include published obituaries, death index records, and historical newspaper archives. Microfilm at some branches covers local newspapers not yet digitized online.

Library genealogy collections also include city directories that help you trace where Woodbury and Washington County residents lived at specific times. Reference staff can guide you through the available resources. If you are new to death records research, the library is a good place to start before committing to ordering official certified copies.

Washington County Library genealogy collections provide free access to obituary databases and historical records for Woodbury and the surrounding area.

Newspaper Obituaries

Woodbury residents appear in Twin Cities metro newspapers, especially the Pioneer Press, which covers the eastern metro area including Washington County. Recent Pioneer Press obituaries are at Twin Cities Obituaries. For historical notices, the MNHS Digital Newspaper Hub at MNHS Newspapers has digitized copies of many Minnesota papers going back well into the 1800s.

Newspaper obituaries often carry information not found in official records. They list surviving relatives, describe the person's community ties, name the funeral home, and sometimes include information about cause of death. Checking newspaper archives in addition to official records gives you a more complete picture of who the person was.

Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society holds statewide collections relevant to Washington County and Woodbury research. Their People Search at MNHS People Search queries multiple databases at once including cemetery records, church registers, and digitized newspapers. For deaths before 1908, MNHS collections are usually the best source available. Church records at MNHS can document deaths in the Woodbury area going back many decades before official state registration began.

How to Get Woodbury Death Records

Here is how to get a certified death certificate for a Woodbury resident.

• Check the index first: Use the free MDH Death Search Index to confirm the record exists (covers 1908-2001).
• Visit Washington County: Go to 14949 62nd St. N., Stillwater with valid photo ID. Cost is $13 for one copy, $6 each for additional copies.
• Request by mail: Get the form from MDH Vital Records and mail with payment and a copy of your ID.
• Call ahead: Reach Washington County at 651-430-6175 for questions about hours and what to bring.

Certified copies are issued to immediate family members, legal representatives, and others with a direct need under Minnesota Statute 144.225. The county office can advise on eligibility. Mail requests typically take one to three weeks.

Nearby Cities

These nearby qualifying cities also have obituary record pages.

Washington County Records

Woodbury is in Washington County. All Woodbury death records are filed with Washington County Vital Records. See the county page for full details on countywide records.