Search Winkler County Obituary Records
Winkler County death records and obituaries are maintained by the County Clerk in Kermit, Texas. Located in the Permian Basin of West Texas on the New Mexico border, Winkler County has vital records dating from 1910.
Winkler County Overview
Winkler County Clerk Death Records
The Winkler County Clerk's office in Kermit is the local registrar for vital records. Death certificates for events occurring in Winkler County from 1910 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.
Winkler County lies on the southern edge of the Permian Basin, bordering New Mexico. Kermit is the county seat. The county is dominated by oil and gas production -- the Hendrick Oil Field was discovered in 1926 and is still producing. Wink is the other incorporated town in the county, known as the hometown of Roy Orbison. The landscape is flat, arid, and sparsely settled. The DSHS online system is the most practical option for death certificate requests given the county's remote location.
| Office | Winkler County Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | P.O. Box 1007, Kermit, TX 79745 |
| Phone | (432) 586-3401 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | co.winkler.tx.us |
Searching Winkler County Obituaries
Order Winkler County death certificates online at ovra.txapps.texas.gov. The DSHS statewide index covers Winkler County from 1910. 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 area West Texas papers.
Note: The DSHS statewide index covers Winkler County death records from 1910. Online ordering is strongly recommended for this remote Permian Basin county.
Requesting Winkler County Death Certificates
Mail a completed application, notarized signature, copy of your photo ID, and a check or money order for $21 to: Winkler County Clerk, P.O. Box 1007, Kermit, TX 79745. Additional copies are $4 each. State requests go through dshs.texas.gov/vs. Requirements are at dshs.texas.gov/vs/requirements.aspx.
Historical Winkler County Obituary Records
Winkler County death records from the early years reflect the rapid transformation from open range to oil boomtown. The county was organized in 1910 from territory that had previously been too remote and dry to attract settlers. The Hendrick Oil Field discovery in 1926 changed everything, and the county filled with oil workers almost overnight. Death records from the late 1920s and 1930s document the hazardous conditions of early oil field work and the diverse workforce that followed the oil boom across the Permian Basin. The Texas State Library holds microfilm of early county vital records. FamilySearch has indexed Texas death collections with Winkler County entries.
The Winkler County Clerk's website provides information on vital records requests and county services in Kermit.
The Winkler County Clerk in Kermit maintains death certificates and vital records for this Permian Basin county from 1910 forward.
Texas Law and Winkler 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 Winkler County.
Winkler County Obituary Resources
Contact the clerk at (432) 586-3401, 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
Winkler County is located in the Permian Basin of West Texas on the New Mexico border.