According to the Mesa Regional website:
The Arizona Obituary Search allows you to search through a partial listing of obituaries published in Arizona newspapers. This is an index only. For original obituaries, go to the indicated newspaper. You can call your local Public Library to see if they have that newspaper available where you may be able to request a copy of the obituary be sent to you if you send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
NewsPaperObituaries.net has additional Arizona newspaper obituaries.
City of Mesa Library Obituary Request
Arizona Republic Only - $15.00 per obituary search request.
http://www.mesalibrary.org/pdf/Obituary_Search_Request.pdf To reach the archives at the AZ Republic yourself, you could contact
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/ I'd probably start with Mesa -- the legacy version of the Republic's material does not seem to have a way to access obits that are that old.
Don't forget, of course, that the "obit" may be only a death notice, with no other information. More and more common these days.
Good luck
Pat (in Tucson)