I think it might be the funeral homes charging for the obits in the paper. The reason I say this is when my daughter died my son-in-law did not have an obituary of any kind put in the paper, the cost quoted was more than he had. But they gave him forms to fill out where an obituary could be sent to two different papers. I don't think there was a cost for this. He did nothing with them, but I felt there should be something in the paper as her fathers family should know and at that time I did not know where they were. I filled out the forms and mailed them in giving my name and address, never got a bill. So who knows. Dorothy Sunne2233@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 02/18/2000 12:49:24 AM Central Standard Time, > ILPIKE-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > > > The Quincy Herald Whig (Adams County) newspaper now charges for obituaries. > > Will our great-grandchildren run into the same problems that we now run > into > > when we try to find an obituary of our ancestors. I know they put very > little > > info in some early obituaries I have found in late1800's. They might say " > > Jane Doe of this community passed away last week". > > I realize they are in business to make money, but don't they get enough > > advertisement to at least cover obituaries. Our local, small town, once a > > week paper doesn't even charge for these. I'm wondering what we could do to > > encourage them to keep printing free obits since some families won't pay > this > > fee to have Aunt Nellie put in the paper. What if she was the last of her > > family? Any suggestions? Letter to the editor perhaps? > > Janet > Janet, > It is sad that the newspapers have to make money off of obituaries. I > learned this 8 years ago when my sister passed away. The newspaper in > Springfield, IL and the one in Oklahoma City charge for printing obits. I > agree that it should be done free for posterity. > Jan