A son reflects on writing his father's obituary

My father regularly enjoyed reading the obituaries in The Economist, sharing the best ones with my Mother and friends. Actor Bill Paxton captures the sentiment well: “My father always read obituaries to me out loud, not because he was maudlin or morbid but because they were mini biographies.”

Stephanie S. Baier, 45, chose right side of law

Stephanie was born on June 26, 1971, in New London, to Carole (Lee) Baier and the late Peter M. Baier. She was the younger sister to Lance, who once hung her out the window by her ankles, so that she could touch some ducks. Needless to say, they were partners in crime. Stephanie chose the right side of the law and eventually became an attorney.

From "The New Yorker": "Auto reply: I am dead and will have limited access to e-mail."

Mary Anne Noland, 68, faced a Hobson's choice

Faced with the prospect of voting for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, Mary Anne Noland of Richmond chose, instead, to pass into the eternal love of God on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at the age of 68. (H/T to Claudia Hearn, Peter Elikann and Carole White-Connor)

Mary Ries, 60, leaves a house full of stuff

Mary Leigh Schaaf (Borcherding) joined the angel choir at age 60, on April 24th, 2016, in Columbus, OH. Beloved mother to her two adult children, Jennifer Scholl and Joseph Kington. Beloved grandmother to her 3-year-old granddaughter, Lily, the light of her life. She also leaves behind her older sisters, Phyllis (Steven) McElhaney of Richmond, Virginia; Nancy (Jim) Lowry of Jacksonville, Florida; and Arielle (Jacque) Honstettre of Monts, France, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, former in-laws, a mentally deranged chihuahua, Calvin "The Destroyer of Rugs," and a house full of stuff we have no idea what to do with. (H/T to Faith Fowler Brill)

Rev. Daniel J. Berrigan, 94, Voice for Peace

"He departed indifferently penniless from a world that often seems to keep score in gilded ink."

Philip Kives, 87, Perfected ‘As Seen on TV’ Infomercials

Act now! Be the first on your block to read this obituary of the marketing guru who — as seen on TV — sliced, diced and polkaed his way to fortune! Reared in penury, he bewitched and beguiled the public to become an international tycoon, only to lose everything and then, undaunted, make it back again! Just two dollars and five thin dimes at any New York City newsstand gets you the print edition of this obituary — along with dozens more articles at no extra charge — commemorated with the date and suitable for framing! Quantities are limited, so don’t delay!