It just so happens, on most days, I read the obituaries. Sometimes I don’t get to it— yesterday, I did. I go first to the editorial page, then to the front page and read forward. Next I hit the , and finally, the obituaries. Here’s my system: I scan the pages for the Jewish stars first. That’s my best chance of finding someone I know. I always look at the pictures, and last I’ll check the last names. If my husband is still home, and I find a winner, I tell him about it. 9 out of 10 times he saw the same one. David reads the obituaries too. To find a “winner” means: the deceased is someone we know (unusual), the parent of someone we know (most common), or someone we could know because they were our age. I also notice an obituary that tells a good story. Maybe it made me cry, or smile. Maybe it was someone who did something special in life. It was lunchtime when I got to the obits and I saw someone I knew. Ricki Miller was the wife of my Dad’s former business partner, Al. The Millers were in my life when I was growing up, but we lost touch after the partnership ended. I called my Mom to tell her Ricki died. “So sad,” she said, “Al will be lost, theirs was a true love affair.” Read next feature >