Coffee County Obituary Lookup

Coffee County obituary records are available through The Enterprise Ledger, The Elba Clipper, local funeral homes, and the Pea River Historical and Genealogical Society. Judge Jodee R. Thompson oversees the probate court which has offices in both Enterprise and Elba. Marriage records date back to 1877 and land records go back to the early 1800s. The probate office has an online records portal where you can view records for free and download or print for $2 per page. Property and probate case records are organized differently between the Elba and Enterprise divisions.

Coffee County Probate Court

The Coffee County Probate Court handles estate matters including wills and probate files. Judge Jodee R. Thompson oversees the court. The county has two office locations, one in Enterprise and one in Elba (the official county seat). Marriage records date back to 1877 and land records go back to the early 1800s.

Note that record organization differs between divisions. Property records in the Elba Division are listed under A/[Book] while Enterprise records do not have the "A" prefix. Probate cases in Elba begin with PC while Enterprise cases begin with PR.

Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, probate records are public records. Anyone can request copies of wills and estate files.

Coffee County Newspapers

Two main newspapers serve Coffee County:

• The Enterprise Ledger - serving Enterprise and the eastern part of the county
• The Elba Clipper - serving Elba and the western part of the county

Both newspapers publish obituaries for their coverage areas. For older obituaries, USGenWeb Archives has transcribed death notices from historical Coffee County newspapers.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery has microfilm copies of many old Alabama newspapers that can be searched for Coffee County obituaries.

Legacy.com collects obituaries from newspapers and funeral homes across Alabama. Search their site for current Coffee County death notices.

Coffee County Obituary Resources

The Pea River Historical and Genealogical Society can help researchers find local obituary records. They are located at 108 Main Street, PO Box 310628, Enterprise, AL 36331. Phone: 334-393-2901.

FamilySearch has free access to Alabama Probate Records and Estate Files covering Coffee County. The online records portal at the probate office website allows free viewing of records, with a $2 per page fee to download or print.

Coffee County Funeral Homes

Local funeral homes in Enterprise and Elba post obituaries on their websites. If you know which funeral home handled services, check their site first as many keep archives going back several years.

Enterprise is near Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker), so some military families may have used funeral homes with military connections. Check both local civilian funeral homes and any military-affiliated services.

Legacy.com is another good resource for finding funeral home obituaries. They aggregate death notices from multiple sources.

Dignity Memorial operates locations across the region. Their searchable archive at dignitymemorial.com covers all their funeral homes.

Coffee County Historical Records

FamilySearch has free digitized records for Coffee County including Alabama Probate Records and Estate Files. These can help you find death dates and family connections when obituaries are not available.

USGenWeb Archives maintains transcribed obituaries for Coffee County. This free volunteer-run site has records that genealogists have contributed over the years.

The Pea River Historical and Genealogical Society maintains local files that may include obituary clippings and death notices not available online. They can assist with in-person research.

Ancestry.com includes Alabama probate records covering Coffee County. Many libraries offer free access to Ancestry Library Edition.

How to Search Coffee County Obituaries

For recent obituaries in Coffee County, start with The Enterprise Ledger, The Elba Clipper, and Legacy.com. Most obituaries from the past few years will be found through these sources.

For older obituaries, check FamilySearch and USGenWeb Archives first since they are free. The probate office online records portal lets you view records at no cost.

Find a Grave has burial records for Coffee County cemeteries. This free site can help you find the date of death and burial location, then you can search newspaper archives more effectively.

The Pea River Historical and Genealogical Society at 334-393-2901 can help with records that are not available online.

Under Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21, death certificates are restricted for 25 years. After that period, anyone can request a copy from the Alabama Department of Public Health for $15.

Cities in Coffee County

Coffee County includes Elba (the official county seat), Enterprise (the largest city), New Brockton, Kinston, and other communities. Enterprise is home to Fort Novosel and has a larger population than Elba.

None of the cities in Coffee County meet the 50,000 population threshold for a separate city page. For obituary searches in any Coffee County city, use the county-level resources on this page.

Nearby Counties

Some obituaries may appear in newspapers from neighboring counties. Dothan newspapers from Houston County sometimes carry Coffee County obituaries since Dothan is the nearest major city.

Coffee County is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit along with Crenshaw County. Some court records might overlap between these counties depending on where cases were filed.

Start Your Search

Use the search tool below to find obituary records in Coffee County, Alabama.