Chronicle (Centralia, Washington) Newspaper Obituaries (2002 - Current)

The Chronicle obituary archives are a valuable resource for uncovering your Washington roots. In the past, searching through printed obituaries in regional papers used to be time-consuming, but with this online archive, accessing records is fast and easy.

Here are some key reasons to explore local obituaries in The Chronicle:

• Discover new parts of your family tree.
• Connect with family members you haven’t met.
• Learn about the lives of your ancestors.
• Access nearly 150 years of local history.

How to Search The Chronicle Obituary Archives

Finding obituaries is simple. Whether you're starting to explore your family tree or adding more details:

Enter your relative’s last name and click “Search” to begin.

For a more detailed search, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Enter the first, middle, and last names to get more precise results.
• Step 2: Include a keyword, like a school or town, to narrow down your results.
• Step 3: Exclude certain keywords to filter out unrelated entries.
• Step 4: Adding a range of years can be useful since many people have the same name.
• Step 5: Change how the results are sorted—by best matches, newest, or oldest.

Search Tips:

• Start with recent relatives and work your way back.
• Try searching by initials, as older obituaries often used them instead of full names.
• For female relatives, try searching under their married names.
• Be mindful of common misspellings, as records weren’t always accurate.

Other Collections to Explore:

• US Newspaper Archives
• Birth and Marriage Records
• Passenger Lists
• Government Publications
• Social Security Death Index
• Cultural Heritage Archives

Get started with GenealogyBank to uncover your family history. For more guidance and tips, visit the GenealogyBank Learning Center.