Wheeler County Obituary Records
Wheeler County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Wheeler, Texas. Located in the Texas Panhandle east of Pampa, Wheeler County has vital records dating from 1903.
Wheeler County Overview
Wheeler County Clerk Death Records
The Wheeler County Clerk's office in Wheeler is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Wheeler 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.
Wheeler County sits in the eastern Texas Panhandle on the High Plains, along the Canadian River drainage. Wheeler is the county seat, and Shamrock is the other notable town -- best known for the restored U-Drop Inn, a Route 66 landmark. Wheat farming and cattle ranching are the primary economic activities. Oil and natural gas are also produced in the county. The DSHS online system is the practical option for most death certificate requests from Wheeler County.
| Office | Wheeler County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 465, Wheeler, TX 79096 |
| Phone | (806) 826-5931 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | co.wheeler.tx.us |
Searching Wheeler County Obituaries
Order Wheeler County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Wheeler 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 from the Wheeler Times and area Panhandle papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Wheeler County death records from 1903. Online ordering avoids a trip to the Wheeler courthouse.
Requesting Wheeler County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Wheeler County Clerk, P.O. Box 465, Wheeler, TX 79096. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Wheeler County Obituary Records
Wheeler County death records from the early 1900s document the homesteading families who came to plow wheat on the Panhandle plains. The county was organized in 1879, soon after the Southern Plains were opened for settlement following the removal of the Comanche and Kiowa. Cattle ranching dominated first, but wheat farming transformed the landscape after the turn of the century. Route 66 passed through Shamrock starting in the 1920s, bringing travelers, commerce, and a mix of people to the county. The Dust Bowl years hit the county hard. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Wheeler County entries.
The Wheeler County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Wheeler.
The Wheeler County Clerk in Wheeler maintains death certificates and vital records for this Texas Panhandle county from 1903 forward.
Texas Law and Wheeler 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 Wheeler County.
Wheeler County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (806) 826-5931, 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
Wheeler County is located in the eastern Texas Panhandle on the High Plains.