I still think obits are appropriate and a good memory to keep......many old acquaintances will have no other way of knowing and will appreciate the notice....no strange activity occurred when the obits for my mom and dad ran, except for one or two sympathy notes from well-intentioned people who I suspect send cards to absolutely everybody........I fear some families feel obligated (and/or guilty?) to turn their recently-departed into saints judging by the obit lengths and life-achievement gushings........keep the obit to-the-point and brief......include a fun picture of her instead of some frumpy, studio-posed shot.......the funeral home makes the arrangements for the obit after discussing it with you......you may want to run it in the old hometown, childhood-city newspaper as well as in the newspaper of the city in which she died.......
I believe most obits are much, much less than $1K!!!