i agree with the obit as a genealogy tool
as a genealogy researcher, i know it is
important to know what COUNTY (in U.S.)
the person was born and/or died in, as
those vital recoeds are USUALLY kept in
county recorder's office. In some states
the vital statistics office is a state
office, and those states do not often
realize that other areas do this by
counties. Graveyards and mortuaries are
great sources of info, and some take that
job very seriously and keep and share theese
records. One cemetary (where my parents
are buried) spoke of installing a kiosk
with computer for using for family tree
research. They had a form to fill out for
next of kin to give information about the
deseased, relatives, etc.

When my Uncle died, the family gathered at the
hotel in preparation for the funeral borrowed
the typewriter from teh front desk in order to
compose the obit, and we gathered memroies and
info from everyone in attendance, and it was a
great ritual and good way to put down the facts
of his life. We all remembered something different.
We made a story about him longer than would be
published for our own use and memories.

The newspaper that printed the obit for my dad
saw the part about him working for the Army Corps
of engineers (as a civilian) and printed a flag
in front of his name as they do for military vets.
Sort of a comical mistake...as he was not in the
military, but was given a flag symbol any way.

We published the obits for my parents in the town
where they lived for 40 years as well as the one
where they were for the last 5 years, so people
who knew them there would know.

The combination of a death certificate and an obit
often contain many clues about family tree info.
Due to identity theft, Death Certificates are getting
more difficult to obtain. In Calif. you must prove that
you are directly related before you can purchase one. It
used to be easy to obtain this data online. This makes it
difficult for researchers to help others by locating this
information for them. I am in a group of volunteers called
Random Acts of Genealogical Research...who will photograph
gravestones, look up newspaper obits and death certificates
as well as marriage and birth documents, too. I have had
others do this for me in areas where my raltives have been
born, married or died. In past years churches used to be
the place where this info was kept. and in family bibles.