
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 8, 1990                   TAG: 9007100430
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: D2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MAKE IT EASIER ON THE BEREAVED

SOMETHING puzzles me. In the event of a death, the family is faced with the grim task of making funeral arrangements. In most cases, those making the arrangements and paying for the funeral are elderly people on Social Security or some other limited income. The funeral is expensive itself, but on top of that comes the cost of the announcement in the newspaper, which can easily run $100 or more.

Why does the newspaper charge this large amount at such a hard time in people's lives? Announcements, along with pictures, of weddings run at no cost at all. These are happy times for them, and money is usually given for wedding presents.

I'm not suggesting charging for wedding announcements. But I am saying that the newspaper could make it a lot easier on grieving families during such a hard time in their lives. Everyone else does, so can't the newspaper?

\ PAUL OLIVER\ TROUTVILLE

by CNB