Sitka Death Records and Obituaries

Sitka obituary records go back further than almost any other city in Alaska, with documented death and burial records starting as early as 1817 when the city was still the capital of Russian America. If you are trying to find an obituary or death notice for someone who lived or died in Sitka, your main options include the Daily Sitka Sentinel's obituary archive, the City and Borough of Sitka's municipal records, FamilySearch digitized collections covering over 140 years, the Alaska State Archives, and official death certificates through the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics. This page covers each of those sources and explains how to use them.

Current Sitka Obituaries

The Daily Sitka Sentinel is the primary source for current and recent death notices in Sitka. The paper has published Sitka obituaries since 1940, and its online archive makes it possible to search by name and browse recent postings. Families submit obituaries directly to the Sentinel, and the level of detail in those notices tends to be personal and thorough.

A recent example shows what the Sentinel typically includes. Jerry Wallace Hall died unexpectedly on January 4, 2026, at his home. He was 77 years old and was buried on January 16. That entry, like many in the Sentinel, includes the date of death, age, place of death, and burial details. Most published notices also list surviving family members and may include a biographical summary. For anyone who died in Sitka after 1940, this is the most direct place to start.

The paper's historical print runs are also indexed through third-party services. GenealogyBank and Newspapers.com both hold Sitka Sentinel archives from 1940 to 1997. Both require a subscription. For records from that era, those services can save time compared to requesting microfilm from a library.

City and Borough of Sitka Records

The City and Borough of Sitka Municipal Clerk's Office is located at 100 Lincoln Street, Sitka, AK 99835. The clerk's office provides access to genealogy records, cemetery burial information, death records within municipal holdings, and historical newspapers. If you are researching a Sitka family and need records that fall outside the standard vital statistics system, this office is worth contacting directly.

Cemetery burial records for ANB Cemetery and other Sitka burial grounds are also indexed through Find A Grave. Volunteers have documented many Sitka-area grave sites and photographed markers, which can confirm burial dates and family relationships that are not available in other sources.

The city's historical records include material from the Russian America period. Sitka served as the administrative capital before and after the 1867 transfer of Alaska to the United States, so certain vital records from the early and mid-1800s exist in both Russian and American administrative files. These are now largely held at the Alaska State Archives.

Note: For genealogy requests involving very old Sitka records, contact the Municipal Clerk's Office first to confirm what they can access directly and what you will need to request through the State Archives.

FamilySearch Sitka Death Records

FamilySearch holds several digitized collections that are directly useful for Sitka obituary and death research. The Sitka Birth, Marriage, and Death Records collection spans from 1817 to 1960, making it one of the most comprehensive pre-statehood resources for any Alaska community. This collection reflects the long administrative history of Sitka as a government center and port city.

Two other FamilySearch collections are specific to Sitka. The Sitka Coroner's Records (1912 to 1944) documents deaths that required official investigation and often includes more biographical detail than standard vital records. The Sitka Probate Records (1883 to 1959) lists the deceased, dates of death, surviving heirs, and estate information. Probate filings are especially useful for deaths in the late 1800s and early 1900s when newspaper obituaries were rare or unavailable. These three collections together give researchers solid coverage of Sitka deaths across most of the twentieth century and well into the territorial period.

For deaths in the later part of the century, the Social Security Death Index on FamilySearch and Ancestry covers records from 1962 forward. This can confirm death dates and last known addresses for Sitka residents who had Social Security numbers, even when no obituary was published.

Alaska State Archives Sitka Collections

The Alaska State Archives holds Sitka Coroner's Records from 1899 to 1969, a span of 70 years that overlaps with and extends beyond the FamilySearch coroner collection. These records cover deaths that went through the official inquest process and are particularly valuable for early twentieth-century research when death certificate registration was inconsistent across Alaska.

The Alaska State Library holds a key printed reference: "Sitka, Alaska Death and Burial Register to 1986," catalogued as AK-R 929.37982 ANDERSE. This compiled register pulls together burial and death data from multiple Sitka sources up through 1986. It is a physical volume held at the library, and researchers can request access or photocopies through the library's reference services.

The archives' probate records guide also explains how to access court-filed estate records, many of which name deceased Sitka residents and their family members. These records can fill gaps when formal obituaries or death certificates are missing.

Historical Sitka Newspaper Archives

Sitka has a rich newspaper history that extends back to the early 1900s. The Alaska State Library maintains a statewide newspaper index that includes Sitka titles across several eras. Two historical Sitka papers are available through Chronicling America at no cost: the Sitka Sentinel from 1934 to 1947 and the Sitka Thlinget from 1908 to 1912. Both are searchable by keyword and can surface death notices and memorial items from those years.

The AKGenWeb historical obituary archive includes entries gathered from Sitka-area sources. Two examples from that collection show the level of detail available. Theodore W. Lott died on January 4, 2000, at the Sitka Pioneer Home. He was born on April 24, 1928, in Akiak. Ted Borbridge died on February 1, 2005, at SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital. He was born on April 6, 1928, in Juneau and was a founding director of Shee Atika Inc. These entries reflect the kind of local historical records the AKGenWeb project has collected and made available for free.

The LDS Genealogy Alaska page for Sitka provides a further index of available collections and links to key resources that are specific to this community. It is a useful starting point for anyone new to Sitka genealogy research.

Sitka Death Certificates and Vital Records

Official death certificates for Sitka residents are issued by the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics under AS 18.50, the state's vital statistics law. The cost is $30 for the first certified copy and $25 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. Requests can be submitted through the state's online ordering system at health.alaska.gov, by mail, or in person at the Juneau or Anchorage offices.

Access to death certificates is restricted under AS 18.50. Immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons with a direct and tangible interest can get copies. Records become available to the general public after 50 years, which means any death before 1975 is now publicly accessible. For pre-1975 deaths in Sitka, you can request a copy without demonstrating a family relationship.

The CDC also maintains a Where to Write for Vital Records page that lists the Alaska vital records office contact information. This is helpful if you are requesting Sitka records from out of state and need to confirm the correct address or verify current fees before sending a request.

Note: Sitka is geographically isolated, and most vital records requests from Sitka residents are processed by mail or online rather than in person at a state office.

Sitka City and Borough

Sitka is the only community in the Sitka City and Borough. Borough-level death records and probate court filings are held through the same municipal and state channels described above.