Gresham Death Records Lookup

Gresham is the fourth largest city in Oregon. It sits east of Portland in Multnomah County. Gresham does not have its own vital records office. Death certificates must be obtained through Multnomah County or the Oregon Health Authority. Despite this, Gresham has local resources that help with death record research. The Gresham Historical Society, local cemeteries, and nearby Metro cemeteries all hold records tied to deaths in the area. This page explains how to get Gresham death records and what local tools are open to the public.

Gresham Death Certificate Process

Gresham does not issue death certificates. All vital records for Gresham are handled by Multnomah County Vital Records. The office is at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Suite 175, Portland, OR 97214. Call (503) 988-3745 for questions. They are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The office is in Portland, about 15 miles west of Gresham.

Multnomah County keeps death records for events that happened in the county within the past six months. This covers all deaths in Gresham. After six months, the records transfer to the Oregon Health Authority. The fee is $25 for a certified copy of a Gresham death record. You can order in person, by mail, or online. Under ORS Chapter 432, you must be an eligible person to request a certified death certificate.

Bring a valid photo ID with you. A driver's license, passport, or state-issued ID works. If your name is different from what is on the record, you may need proof of a name change such as a court order or marriage certificate.

Gresham City Resources

The City of Gresham website provides general city services and can point residents to the right county office for vital records. While the city does not keep death records, it is a good starting point for finding local contacts.

Gresham has grown fast over the past few decades. It now has over 110,000 residents. The city shares Multnomah County services with Portland, Troutdale, Fairview, and Wood Village. All death certificates for these cities go through the same county office in Portland. For Gresham residents, the drive to the Hawthorne Blvd office takes about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. You can also handle everything by mail or online to avoid the trip.

The city also has several funeral homes that work with families after a death. Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, Family Memorial Mortuary, Gresham Memorial Chapel, Affordable Funeral Alternatives, and Care Cremation Service all serve the area. These businesses file death records with the county and can often help families start the certificate process.

Note: Gresham funeral homes file death records with Multnomah County and can guide families through the process.

Gresham Death Record Eligibility

Oregon law limits who can get a certified death certificate. The rules are in ORS 432.380. You must have a direct tie to the person who died.

Spouses and domestic partners are eligible. Parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings also qualify. A legal guardian who was serving at the time of death can request a copy. Licensed attorneys acting for the estate qualify as legal agents under ORS 432.005(21). An authorized agent with a signed and witnessed form can act on behalf of the family per ORS 432.005(3). Government agencies with an official need may also request Gresham death records under ORS 432.005(12).

People who are not on the eligible list can still get a copy. Ask an eligible family member to fill out a notarized permission form. This form lets you pick up the Gresham death record on their behalf. It works once and expires after one year.

Gresham Historical Society Records

The Gresham Historical Society is a key resource for death record research in the Gresham area. They keep local historical records, obituaries, family histories, and cemetery data.

The society can help you trace Gresham death records through old newspapers, family files, and local archives. For deaths that happened before modern record keeping, historical society records may be the only source of proof. They are run by volunteers who know the history of Gresham well. If you are looking for an old Gresham death record that you cannot find through the county, this is a great next step.

Obituaries are one of the most useful tools the society holds. They often list the date of death, age, family members, place of burial, and sometimes the cause of death. For Gresham deaths going back to the early 1900s, obituaries can fill in details that official records leave out.

Note: The Gresham Historical Society is staffed by volunteers, so call ahead to check hours before visiting.

Gresham Cemetery Records

Gresham Pioneer Cemetery is a historic burial site in the city. Records from this cemetery may be available through the Gresham Historical Society. The cemetery holds burials from the early days of the city and is a useful tool for Gresham death record research when official records are not available.

Several larger cemeteries near Gresham also hold burial records for Gresham residents. Oregon Metro manages 14 historic cemeteries in the greater Portland area. Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland is close to Gresham and serves many east county families. River View Cemetery is another option. These cemeteries keep records that list the name, dates of birth and death, and plot location for each burial.

• Gresham Pioneer Cemetery: historic local burials
• Lincoln Memorial Park: serves east Multnomah County
• River View Cemetery: historic Portland cemetery
• Metro managed cemeteries: 14 sites in the region

Cemetery records can be the best source when official Gresham death records are hard to locate. They are free to search in many cases and can confirm dates and family ties.

Historical Gresham Death Records

The Oregon State Archives in Salem holds historical vital records for all of Oregon, including Gresham. The death records index covers 1903 to 1998 and is searchable online through the Oregon Historical Records Index. This free tool shows the name, death date, county, and certificate number. You can use this information to order a copy from the state.

For records older than 50 years, the Archives can provide non-certified copies. These work for genealogy but not for legal purposes. Call (503) 373-0701 to ask about Gresham death records in their collection. The FamilySearch website also has free indexes and digitized records for Multnomah County that cover Gresham.

How to Order Gresham Death Records

You have three ways to order a Gresham death certificate. Visit the Multnomah County Vital Records office in person at 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland. Bring a valid photo ID and $25 for the fee. You can also mail a request with a signed form, a copy of your ID, and a check or money order to the same address.

Online orders go through VitalChek. The base fee is $25. An expedite fee of $7 and a vendor fee of about $15.50 apply. You can add UPS Next Day Air for $20 more. A rush online order for a Gresham death record runs about $67.50 total. The Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 333 governs how vital record orders are processed across the state.

When you submit your request, include the full name of the person who died, the date of death, your name, your mailing address, and your relationship to the person on the record. If you do not know the exact date, the $25 fee covers a five-year search.

Note: Include your relationship to the person who died on every request for a Gresham death record.

Multnomah County Records

Gresham is part of Multnomah County. All death certificates for the city are handled at the county level in Portland. For more about vital records in this area, visit the Multnomah County death records page. It covers the full county process, fees, office hours, and resources for every city in Multnomah County.