What I've noticed is that since the local paper started charging for obituaries, there are more "death notices" for which there is no charge. They contain just the basic information about the person and name of funeral home and services.

In the Sunday paper, there is usually an extended obituary about someone with a picture or two and commentary from friends and relatives. I imagine this is a fee-based article, also. This sounds like what you described, Agnes.

---I always notice if the pets are mentioned---makes me feel like they might still be taken care of.

Listing accomplishments is important to some. I've already told dh not obit, no service. Cremate me and say goodbye.

I think a paid obit is a good idea. It gives the family a chance to write about their loved one in their own way. Perhaps it should be called something other than an obit.

yes, our obits are like that now. Very long and detailed and unfortuntely poorly written. I wish the paper would proof them so they wouldn't have such glaring grammer mistakes. We get quite a few that have a strong religious overtone. My father did not have much use for people who were over zealous about their believes. I use to tell him I was going to write one of those over the top sleeping in the arms of the angels type obit. It would get a laugh out of him.

Ours are either long and windy or short and brief. My favorite was a short one with a small bit of personal info that stated the departed "enjoyed the highlife". Knowing the departed id say that was an understatement.

Our local weekly prints the obits from information furnished by family. As this is a small town, and many of the departed are old-timers and everyone knows them, it is actually pretty personal and they all have a gazillion relatives living in town or in the County.
The primary obit/death notice it put up on the door of the Post-Office with a picture and frequently an invitation the a "celebration of the life" either in the village hall, ,or in another public place, sometimes in Boomer's Saloon.
Funny personal anecdote: Running across an acquaintance I had not seen for quite some time he said: "You are still around?" I told him I supposed I was, hadn't seen my picture on the P.O. door yet.