Loving County Obituary Records
Loving County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Mentone, Texas. The least populated county in the United States, Loving County has vital records dating from 1903.
Loving County Overview
Loving County Clerk Death Records
The Loving County Clerk's office in Mentone is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Loving County from 1903 to the present are held here. The clerk accepts in-person and mail requests. Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 193, records less than 25 years old require qualified applicant status. Records 25 years or older are open to the public.
Loving County is consistently recorded as the least populated county in the United States, with fewer than 100 residents. It lies in far West Texas along the Pecos River near the New Mexico border. Oil production is the dominant economic activity, with most of the land owned by energy companies and private ranches. Mentone, the county seat, is barely a settlement. The DSHS online system is the only practical way to get a death certificate from this remote county.
| Office | Loving County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 98, Mentone, TX 79754 |
| Phone | (432) 377-2245 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
Searching Loving County Obituaries
Order Loving County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Loving County from 1903. For genealogy, FamilySearch at familysearch.org and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov are the main free resources. Legacy.com at legacy.com may carry obituary notices for Loving County residents. Because the county has so few people, records for families here may also appear in neighboring Ward and Winkler county archives.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Loving County death records from 1903. Online ordering is strongly recommended for this extremely remote county.
Requesting Loving County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Loving County Clerk, P.O. Box 98, Mentone, TX 79754. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Loving County Obituary Records
Loving County has a unique place in Texas history as the last county to be organized, in 1931, and the least populated county in the nation. The Pecos River valley attracted a small number of ranchers in the late 1800s, and early records are sparse given the tiny population. Oil discoveries in the 20th century brought temporary workers but few permanent residents. The Texas State Library holds any available vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections that may include Loving County entries. Researchers should also check Ward and Winkler county records, as families in this region often moved between neighboring areas.
The Loving County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Mentone.
The Loving County Clerk in Mentone maintains death certificates and vital records for this remote West Texas county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Loving County Death Records
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Section 193.003, death certificates must be filed within 10 days. Records under 25 years are restricted per Chapter 193. Older records are public. Section 193.007 covers delayed registration. The DSHS at dshs.texas.gov/vs/death maintains the statewide index including Loving County.
Loving County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (432) 377-2245, order online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov, search at FamilySearch and the Texas State Library at tsl.texas.gov. Obituaries appear on Legacy.com.
Nearby Counties
Loving County is located in far West Texas along the Pecos River near the New Mexico border.