TFP must improve obituary services

Despite my willingness to pay its fee of 50 cents per word after the first 50 words, the Times Free Press failed to print Mary Stella Ridings Smalling’s obituary on the day of visitation and the day of the funeral. On the day after her funeral, the Times Free Press published my mother’s obituary.

Every time my mother’s friends tell me that they didn’t know of her death until after her funeral, I recall the frustration and anger I felt during visitation on the evening before her funeral when I realized the Times Free Press had not printed her obituary.

The newspaper should have at least three people trained to run the obituary department at a moment’s notice. It is my understanding that obituary publication problems have occurred over several weeks, for which there is no excuse. Incompetent management must accept blame, not someone in the obituary department trying to do his or her best. Steve Smalling Jasper, Tenn.