Like so many others, my first job at a newspaper included responsibility for writing the obits, sometimes amounting to little more than getting the family to confirm and expand on information sent over by the funeral home. For such a sensitive time, I was always amazed at how family members handled my intrusion and was always touched by how grateful they were that someone was taking the time to get the details right. This often led to some of the best details and insights. We always listed the cause of death (if known), including that of one 30ish man who was killed when the appliance (I think it was a washing machine) he was fixing fell over on him while no one else was home.