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FWIW it's worth, I wrote this about Ms Rockne this morning:

Two Obituaries: Compare and Contrast

by Bruce Bethke
©2005 All Rights Reserved

1 March 2005

I was slapped awake by two obituaries in this morning's St. Paul Pioneer Press. On page 3B they devoted a banner headline, photo, and an entire quarter-page to:

Sue Rockne was longtime abortion-rights activist
Sue Rockne was a fighter.
    At the Minnesota state Capitol, she fought for women's rights, abortion access and safety for battered women. As a Democractic activist, she fought for and with the party and served as a 12-year Democratic National Committee member and five-time delegate to the Democratic National Convention.
    And for 13 years she fought leukemia, a cancer that kills many of its victims quickly. She challenged it with the aid of a little red scooter that zoomed her around the Capitol halls and helped her travel across all seven continents in the past decade.
    On Satuday, she succumbed to complications from the disease. She was 70.
    "She went fast, which is a blessing for her," said her daughter, Lauri Rockne of St. Paul.
    Rockne, a Connecticut native, moved to Minnesota nearly 50 years ago with her husband, David, but never forgot...

And so, and so on, for four more adoring columns of the same. I was especially impressed by the loving tributes from Rep. Phyllis Kahn of Minneapolis and Tim Stanley, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota, as well as:

"She would talk with anyone here, regardless of political position, and her death means one less person to bridge the gaps between people on controversial issues," said Marge Romero, a Senate legislative assistant and friend of 20 years...[which seems somewhat at odds with Kahn's admiration for Rockne's "great acerbic tongue" and scrappy fighting style: ~brb]
    "There are just thousands of women out there who owe her a debt of gratitude," said Connie Perpich, longtime Planned Parenthood lobbyist.
    Rockne, who was a frequent guest on TPT's [Twin Cities Public Television: ~brb] "Almanac" between 1988 and 1997, didn't limit her civic involvement to the doings of the Capitol. She also ran for the Minnesota Senate in 1976, helped many candidates with their campaigns and was a charter member of the DFL Feminist Caucus and Minnesota NOW...
    Survivors include her husband, David, and daughter, Lauri.

In other words -- well, never mind, I'm sure you can supply the other words yourself. Now, by way of comparison, the following obituary was buried in tiny print in the paid notices on page 5B:

Pettitt, Rev. Canon Robert R., "Bud"
Bud met his Lord and Savior Jesus and joined his beloved Bette in heaven on February 26, 2005. Born March 19, 1923, St. Cloud, MN; moved to Fargo, ND, 1924; graduated from Fargo HS June '41; employed by Northern Pacific until entered the Marines June '44. Bud island-hopped in the Pacific, seeing action in the hot spots including Iwo Jima. Released June '46; returned to NP/BN, working into Comm. Mgmt. until retirement Oct '81. He then studied Episcopalian Holy Orders; was ordained N.D. Diocesan Sacramentalist Oct '87. Served in ND and TX and was named Canon of Gesthsemane Cathedral, Fargo, Dec '99. Bud touched many with his service to the Episcopal Church, Masonic Order, Shrine, FM Ambulance Service, Am. Legion, 40/8, VFW, Marine Corp. League, Boy Scouts, and Order of the Arrow. Survived by sister Margaret Lonergan, St. Croix Beach, MN; son Robert E. (Carol), Oakdale, MN; daughter Deborah J. Fischer (Ronald), Beavercreek, OH; grandchildren, Derrick (Amy) Fishcer, and Nicole, Jonathan (Tanya) and Krista Pettitt; great-grandchildren Braden Fischer and Evan and Moriah Pettitt; niece Mary Laine McGee, and many other family and friends. His life will be celebrated at a memorial service at 10AM Friday, March 18, at Christ Episcopal Church, Woodbury, MN, and Satuday, March 19, at 10AM at Gethsemane Cathedral, Fargo, ND. Memorials are preferred to Indianhead Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Now, maybe I'm just cranky this morning, or maybe my sensibilities aren't properly attuned to life in the 21st Century. Maybe I'm just some kind of throwback for thinking that the life of a Marine who survived Iwo Jima, became a vicar, and left a large family with grandchildren and great-grandchildren was inherently more interesting and deserving of public notice than the life of a political gadfly and evolutionary dead-end like Rockne. But Bud was my friend, and I will miss him, and I will be sending a donation in his name to the Indianhead Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Semper fi, Bud.