Arkansas Funeral Home Records

This page links to known Arkansas Funeral Records whether they be available online or offline. Funeral records are an invaluable source of genealogical information that can provide insight into the lives and deaths of our ancestors. They offer a wealth of details on the deceased and their family, including their names, ages, dates of death, causes of death, and other key information. While funeral records can be found in a variety of places, genealogists must be careful when interpreting the information they contain, paying close attention to accuracy and cultural context. By using funeral records in their research, genealogists can gain a deeper understanding of their ancestors and build a more complete picture of their family history.

Read more about Using Funeral Records in Genealogical Research

Arkansas Historical Commission

Some of the funeral records listed below can be found at the Arkansas Historical Commission/Arkansas State Archives. The archives provide free limited research services to individual researchers who cannot attend in person.

Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Arkansas County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Calhoun County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Benton funeral home records 1941 Fordyce, Arkansas: deceased from Calhoun, Dallas & Ouachita counties
    Alphabetical list of 1941 deaths transcribed from the Benton Funeral Home records. These records were published over two issues of the “Researchin’ Ouachita-Calhoun counties, Arkansas, vols 26. no. 2 (fall 2006), p. 28-29, and v. 27, no. 1 (spring 2007), p. 44-47.

Clark County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Wiley Funeral Home Records – Death Certificates
    This digital collection features death certificates kept by the Wiley (now Mitchell) Funeral Home in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, between 1941-1968. The records document the lives of over one thousand African Americans who were either residents of Clark County or whose funerals were handled by Wiley Funeral Home. HIPAA protections for these records expired in 2018.
  • Wiley Funeral Home Records – Burial Insurance
    Lists of African Americans who purchased burial insurance from the Wiley (now Mitchell) Funeral Home.
  • Wiley Funeral Home records, 1930-1989 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection contains death certificates, burial transit permits, burial insurance documents, and other items related to Wiley Funeral Home’s business in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The Wiley Funeral Home was located at 1625 Caddo Street, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and served the African American community in the Clark County area during the twentieth century. The business became a part of Mitchell Funeral Home.

Cleveland County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Buie’s Funeral Home Records 1941-1956
    Buie’s Funeral Home permitted the Cleveland County Library to duplicate and transcribe their records. Regrettably, due to a fire, the available records only date back to 1941. Buie’s operates funeral homes in Rison, Cleveland County, and Sheridan, Grant County. This collection serves as an index, with some entries containing more information than others, which may only include names and dates. The records encompass both the Rison and Sheridan locations.

Dallas County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Benton funeral home records 1941 Fordyce, Arkansas: deceased from Calhoun, Dallas & Ouachita counties
    Alphabetical list of 1941 deaths transcribed from the Benton Funeral Home records. These records were published over two issues of the “Researchin’ Ouachita-Calhoun counties, Arkansas, vols 26. no. 2 (fall 2006), p. 28-29, and v. 27, no. 1 (spring 2007), p. 44-47. It is not available online.

Drew County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Faulkner County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Doolin Funeral Home records, 1929-1968 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection contains over 3,500 double-sided funeral registry sheets dating from 1929-1969 from 3 unbound registers. Each sheet contains the name of the deceased, along with birth, death, and marriage details. The place of funeral, name of clergyman, and place of burial are also usually included. The Doolin Funeral Home, located in Conway, Arkansas, was founded by Trust Turner Doolin in January of 1929. Over the years, it was located at a number of sites, the last being an historic structure (the Erbacker home) at 1422 Caldwell Street in Conway. It remained there for almost all of the last twenty-five years of its operation. Trust Doolin was born on September 9, 1897, in Morrilton, Arkansas. For a number of years, he was associated with his stepfather, H.A. Britt, in the funeral business in Morrilton. He came to Conway in 1928. During his professional career, he was twice elected as president of the Arkansas Funeral Home Directors Association. After his death on January 10, 1960, his widow, Doris Egan Doolin, continued the business until her death on January 31, 1966. After several additional years of operation, the business was purchased by McNutt Funeral Home of Conway. The new owners closed the funeral home in January of 1969.
  • Pence Funeral Home Records Index 1881-1945
    Index of the first 3 volumes of Pence Funeral Homes records. Published books containing a transcription of the records is available at the Salt Lake City Family History Center.

Franklin County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Highland Cemetery and four abandoned cemeteries in Ozark, Arkansas – Available at the Salt Lake City Family History Center
    Includes full-name index for Highland Cemetery. Includes lists of People buried in Highland Cemetery without stones and those for whom no cemetery was mentioned. The names of the four abandoned cemeteries are: Overton Bettis Alston, Noah Barclift, Fleeman & Randle Reed. Names were obtained from other sources including records from the Greer Funeral Home, Ozark, Arkansas and the diary of Mrs. T. Moore.
  • J.T. Greer and Son Funeral Home records, 1933-1981 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection contains 16 volumes of records from the J.T. Greer and Son Funeral Home. J.T. Greer and Son Funeral Home operated in Ozark, Arkansas, for much of the twentieth century. In its early years, the business also sold hardware, paint, and furniture. John T. Greer, founder, was born circa 1848 in Georgia. He married Minnie L. around 1889, and the two moved to Ozark with their family by 1900. Eugene, the couple’s youngest son, moved to Mangum, Oklahoma, in 1923 and opened his own funeral home. The business remained in the Greer family until 1994.

Garland County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Caruth Funeral Home records, Hot Springs, AR 1909-1990 – viewable at the Salt Lake City Family History Center
    Includes some, if not all, of the Paul Heady Funeral Home records. Names are in alphabetical order. Two volumes, also available as microfilm.
  • Gross Mortuary record book, 1874-1922
    This is an overview of the Gross Mortuary record books, 1874-1922 freely available online, providing a history of the Mortuary of James B. McCaffrey and Billy Gross.
  • Gross Mortuary Records 1874-1992
    Three volumes of transcriptions from the Gross Mortuary. Volume 1 covers the same period as the digital volume above and must be a transcription from it. Volume 2 covers 1921-1957. Both volume 1+2 are available at the Salt Lake City Family History Center. Volume 3 is available online.
  • Gross Mortuary Oldest Records 1874-1882
    A transcription of the oldest records.
  • Page Mortuary records, 1950-1970 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection contains death records and burial transit permits, 1950-1970. Page Mortuary was established in 1947, in Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, by Theodore R. Page, and his brother William “Bubba” Page. It was originally located at 418 Malvern Avenue, in the African American business district, before relocating to 409 Pleasant Street in 1972. The Pleasant Street location had once served as the resident home for the nuns of St. Gabriel Catholic School. Theodore Page was born May 21, 1918 in Hot Springs, the son of James Will “Pete” and Minnie Ash Page. Pete Page was an early entrepreneur who owned several businesses on Malvern Avenue. Theodore graduated from Langston High School in Hot Springs, and mortuary science school in Nashville, Tennessee in 1941. In 1942 he joined the army and served in the Philippines during World War II. Theodore married Ernestine Rosborough, and they had one child, Harriett Page. Ernestine and Theodore’s sister, Constance, worked in the business as attendants, and did hairstyling and make-up for female clients. He sold his business in 1998 to Brandon Funeral Home of Malvern, Arkansas. On January 13, 2003, the Hot Springs location was destroyed in an early morning fire. Theodore Page died on June 15, 2005. He was a life-long member of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, Hot Springs. The project was made possible with a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the Black History Advisory Committee (now the Black History Commission of Arkansas).

Grant County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Buie’s Funeral Home Records 1941-1956
    Buie’s Funeral Home permitted the Cleveland County Library to duplicate and transcribe their records. Regrettably, due to a fire, the available records only date back to 1941. Buie’s operates funeral homes in Rison, Cleveland County, and Sheridan, Grant County. This collection serves as an index, with some entries containing more information than others, which may only include names and dates. The records encompass both the Rison and Sheridan locations.

Jackson County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Hayden-Holloway Funeral Home and successors, 1919-1928
    The Hayden-Holloway Company (furniture and undertaking) was incorporated in 1917 by John Hayden, T. S. Holloway, W. E. Rosson, F. M. Scott, and A. L. Crouch. It may have begun business prior to this time. The existing records begin 25 Feb 1919, but the first burial in this volume was changed to Albright-Hayden Furniture Co., with the firm composed of A. L. Crouch, Omer A. Albright, John Hayden, W. E. Rosson, and F. M. Scott. A further name change occurred on 27 Apr 1926, when the name was changed to Albright Furniture Company. At this time, Omer A. Albright was president and Gray Albright and Mrs. C. I Miller were directors. Includes index.
  • New Furniture Store Undertaking Department, 1926-1931
    The undertaking department of the New Furniture Store was opened in 1926 as Sisemore Funeral Parlor. UNder various managers, the undertaking department continued until in the 1940s, when the funeral home was sold to Ottie Dillinger, who continued to operate it as the Dillinger Funeral Home in Newport, Arkansas. This volume of abstracts of funeral home records consists of the first two books of the New Furniture Store – Undertaking Department, 1926-1931. Includes index.
  • Frank Leach Funeral Home
    Ardith G. Foster who transcribed the other two inventories of burial records for Jackson County Arkansas also transcribed the records of the Frank Leach Funeral Home. Whether they were ever published in any format is not known, but the fact she could transcribe them, means the records may still be available.

Jefferson County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Lawrence County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Johnson Undertaking Company records, 1916-1951 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection contains papers and books used by the Johnson Undertaking Company, a funeral home located in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, between the years of 1916 and 1951. The Johnson Undertaking Company operated in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, for about 25 years. Funerals were conducted from about 1916 to 1951. Mr. W. C. Johnson was one of the funeral directors but it is unknown who owned the company.

Little Rock County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Ruebel Funeral Home in Little Rock, Arkansas 1901-1921
Ruebel Funeral Home, the oldest funeral service establishment in Little Rock, Arkansas, began operations in early 1901 at the corner of Sixth and Main Street. For over a century, Ruebel Funeral Home has provided services to central Arkansas families of all religious preferences, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In 1941, Ruebel Funeral Home relocated to a converted home at 1210 Wolfe Street. In 1963, the current facility was built at 6313 West Markham Street. This collection contains death certificates which Ruebel Funeral Home possessed and a listing of funeral dates at the Ruebel Funeral Home in Little Rock, Arkansas from 1901 through 1921 for which no records exist . The listing is in alphabetical order by the surname of the deceased

Lonoke County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Records of Wilson Funeral Home, 1934-1982
    England, Arkansas. Microfilm of originals housed by the Arkansas History Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas. Some funeral home records are indexed at the beginning of the volume. This is a funeral home that largely dealt with the black community of Lonoke County.

Miller County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Mississippi County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Nevada County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Ouachita County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Benton funeral home records 1941 Fordyce, Arkansas: deceased from Calhoun, Dallas & Ouachita counties
    Alphabetical list of 1941 deaths transcribed from the Benton Funeral Home records. These records were published over two issues of the “Researchin’ Ouachita-Calhoun counties, Arkansas, vols 26. no. 2 (fall 2006), p. 28-29, and v. 27, no. 1 (spring 2007), p. 44-47.
  • Proctor Funeral Home records, 1918-1989 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection contains records of funerals. The 1918 to 1940 records include the year, name of deceased, race, place of death, date of death, and name of purchaser of services. Beginning in 1941, records often contain the names of the parents of the deceased and costs of services. The Proctor Funeral Home and Memorial Park Cemetery of Camden, Arkansas, began operations in 1868, serving families of Ouachita County and south Arkansas. Ledger books containing records of funerals and an alphabetical index. There are no volumes for 1921, 1922, and 1988.

Phillips County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Keeshan-Lambert Funeral Home, 1881-1956 – Microfilm available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    Funeral home was based in Helena, AR from 1881-1956. 47 volumes, index cards, and transit documents (on microfilm) Records include death certificates, funeral account books, Maple Hill Cemetery Association book, index cards, and transit documents pertaining to those who died out of state. Funeral home that is now defunct. Contains death records of African Americans who died during Elaine Massacre.

Pope County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Prairie County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Pulaski County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Dubisson Funeral Home records, 1925-1985 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    Dubisson Funeral Home was established in 1915 in Little Rock, Arkansas, as Dubisson and Goodrich, an African American business. The company’s founders were Daniel Joy Dubisson and Fred J. Goodrich. After a fire destroyed the original building on Louisiana Street (between Fourth and Fifth streets), the business relocated several times, including a move to West Ninth Street (once Little Rock’s black business district). After Goodrich died in 1924 the business became Dubisson and Company. Daniel Dubisson, born September 28, 1872, in Franklin, Tennessee, married Clara Brown (December 15, 1875-November 13, 1929), and they had one child, Geraldine. After the death of his first wife he married Lula Sue Bryant (April 22, 1876-February 2, 1950) of Forrest City. The business incorporated in 1932 and expanded to include Dubisson Burial Association. Daniel Dubisson died on July 10, 1952, and his funeral was held at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, in Little Rock. At that time, his daughter, Geraldine Dubisson Lee, became president. In the spring of 1986, Dubisson Funeral Home was acquired by the Miller Company of Monroe, Louisiana, with Joseph H. Miller as owner. In 1987 his son, Darryl Miller, became president of Dubisson. The funeral home is still in operation at 1851 Marshall Street. In 2002, the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society published “Dubisson Funeral Home, Little Rock, Arkansas Death Record Index” in three volumes, as a part of its Final Emancipation Cemetery and Funeral Home Project, funded in part by the Arkansas Humanities Council.

Saline County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • A personal account record of J.W. Ashby, founder of Ashby Funeral Home, Benton, Arkansas
    In addition to the chronological listing of deceased persons cared for in Ashby’s Funeral Home, the first book includes newspaper accounts of natural disasters that had a severe effect in Saline County, and selected obituaries from the Benton Courier. Each book has a surname index. 2 vols: Undertaker’s records, 1916-1928, Ashby Funeral Home, 1929-1940. Written by J W Ashby and edited by Shirlene Martin Chilton, published in 1986. Check Worldcat for a library near you. Item 19610508; Item 46930520.

Scott County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Death records, Scott County, Arkansas – Available in Salt Lake City Family History Center
    Newspaper obituaries, 1887-1926; lost & abandoned graves and unnamed graves in historian’s files; 1995 McConnell Funeral Home listing (Greenwood, AR & Hartford, AR) and the 1995 Martin Funeral Home listing (Mansfield). Compiled by historian Wanda M. Newberry Gray and published by her in 1996.

Searcy County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Sebastian County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Death records, Scott County, Arkansas – Available in Salt Lake City Family History Center
    Newspaper obituaries, 1887-1926; lost & abandoned graves and unnamed graves in historian’s files; 1995 McConnell Funeral Home listing (Greenwood, AR & Hartford, AR) and the 1995 Martin Funeral Home listing (Mansfield). Compiled by historian Wanda M. Newberry Gray and published by her in 1996.
  • Blaine Brothers Funeral Home records, 1882-1904 – Available at any Family History Center
    Microfilm made from original records in the Fort Smith Public Library. Two indexes found at beginning of each volume; first index lists responsible party; second lists deceased.
  • Genealogy Department of the Fort Smith Public Library
    The Genealogy Department of the Fort Smith Public Library (Sebastian County, AR) has a collection of original funeral records as well as photocopies, and microfilm records.
    • Bernie Brother Funeral Home Records, 1882-1921
      Established 1882, original records.
    • Putnam Funeral Home Records, 1926-1977
      Purchased Bernie in 1913, original records.
    • Fentress Funeral Home 1918-2020
      Established 1913, closed 2020, original records.
    • Rowell Funeral Home Records, 1967-1983
      Established in 1919, sold in 1985 and became Rowell-Parish Funeral Home in 1985, African American, had a fire in late 1960’s original records
    • Edwards Funeral Home Records 1933-2003
      Established 1933, original records.
    • Our Funeral Home Records 1948-1980
      African American, original records.
  • Birney Funeral Home Records
    The USGenWeb has several pages devoted to incomplete transcriptions of the three volumes of records from this mortuary.
  • Old Putnam Funeral Home Records
    The USGenWeb has a partial transcription of records from this mortuary.
  • McConnell Funeral Home Record Books 1918-1941
    The USGenWeb has a transcription of records from this mortuary.
  • Rowell Funeral Home Records, 1967-1982 – Microfilm available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    Ft. Smith, Arkansas [MG04304 – MG04309] Established in 1919 by William A. Rowell, also known as W.A., the Rowell Funeral Home has a rich history. W.A. was married to Willa Ferguson, a 5th grade teacher at Howard Elementary School. Born on July 27, 1894, W.A. passed away in September 1967 at the age of 73. Following Mr. Rowell’s death, his wife asked Rev. Andrew Jackson Parish, Jr. (also known as A.J.) to manage the funeral home. He agreed to do so for one year. In 1985, Rev. Parish purchased the mortuary and, in honor of the Rowells and the establishment’s longstanding reputation, retained the name while adding his own, resulting in Rowell-Parish Mortuary. Willa Rowell passed away in April 1988, and Rev. A.J. Parish on October 3, 2014.

Stone County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • North Arkansas Funeral Home records, 1944-1992
    Includes supplemental index. North Arkansas Funeral Home served primarily Searcy, Stone, and Van Buren counties in Arkansas through their locations in Marshall, Mountain Home, and Clinton.

Union County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • Sims Mortuary ledgers, 1951-2003 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection includes nine volumes of funeral home records dating from 1951-2003. Each volume contains an alphabetical index. In 1951 Pete Sims, Jr., and Clarence Shaw established the Sims-Shaw Mortuary in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, , to serve the African American communities of the area. Sims was sole owner from1959 until 1969 when he incorporated Sims Mortuary, with brothers, Floyd S. Sims, Sears W. Sims, and sister, Ella Louise Sims, joining the family business.
  • Sims Mortuary funeral programs, 1977-2005 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection contains approximately 200 funeral programs for southern Arkansas and Louisiana residents, from 1977 to 2005. The collection includes local church programs, school programs, and other material. In 1951, Pete Sims, Jr., and Clarence Shaw established the Sims-Shaw Mortuary in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, to serve the African American communities of the area. Sims was sole owner from 1959 until 1969, when he incorporated Sims Mortuary with brothers, Floyd S. Sims, Sears W. Sims, and sister, Ella Louise Sims, joining the family business.
  • Union African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church funeral programs, 1964-2005 – Available at the Arkansas State Archives in Little Rock
    This collection consists of 79 funeral programs, 1964-2005. Union African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.), Little Rock, Arkansas, was established in 1906 after a merger of Brown Memorial and Centennial A.M.E. churches. Both Brown and Centennial A.M.E. churches had been in existence since the 1890s. After the merger, the name changed to Union, and the site for a new building was purchased. The cornerstone of the new church at Wright Avenue and Pulaski Street was laid in 1911 under the pastorate of Reverend G.B. Ashford. During the 1960s, the church was home to several civil rights activists and other notable members of the African American community in Little Rock.

Van Buren County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

  • North Arkansas Funeral Home records, 1944-1992
    Includes supplemental index. North Arkansas Funeral Home served primarily Searcy, Stone, and Van Buren counties in Arkansas through their locations in Marshall, Mountain Home, and Clinton.

Woodruff County Arkansas Funeral Home Records

Topics:
Death Records, Mortuary Records, Vital Records,

Locations:
Arkadelphia Arkansas, Arkansas County AR, Augusta Arkansas, Benton Arkansas, Blytheville Arkansas, Calhoun County AR, Camden Arkansas, Clark County AR, Cleveland County AR, Clinton Arkansas, Conway Arkansas, Dallas County AR, Des Arc Arkansas, DeWitt Arkansas, Drew County AR, El Dorado Arkansas, England Arkansas, Faulkner County AR, Fordyce Arkansas, Franklin County AR, Ft. Smith Arkansas, Garland County AR, Grant County AR, Greenwood Arkansas, Hartford Arkansas, Helena Arkansas, Hot Springs Arkansas, Jackson County AR, Jefferson County AR, Lawrence County AR, Little Rock Arkansas, Lonoke County AR, Mansfield Arkansas, Marshall Arkansas, Miller County AR, Mississippi County AR, Monticello Arkansas, Mountain Home Arkansas, Nevada County AR, Newport Arkansas, Ouachita County AR, Ozark Arkansas, Phillips County AR, Pine Bluff Arkansas, Pope County AR, Prairie County AR, Pulaski County AR, Rison Arkansas, Russellville Arkansas, Saline County AR, Scott County AR, Searcy County AR, Sebastian County AR, Sheridan Arkansas, Union County AR, Van Buren County AR, Walnut Ridge Arkansas, Woodruff County AR,

Collection:

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