Among the obituary columns

I do habitually read the obituary pages of The Guardian. I don't think this is morbid: you meet so many interesting people there, and although it is sad to learn that they have died, it is often a joy to learn that they have lived. Random example: Richard Gibson, the architect who persuaded Shetland that the traditional harling not only resulted in drab grey houses, it was also harming the beaches from which its raw materials were extracted, and so introduced brightly painted timber cladding instead (timber! in Shetland!).

But every now and then I stumble across someone who touches me more personally. ( Ruth Wyner )

( Tom Madden )

That's all I've got, really. Obituaries: sometimes they make you sad, sometimes they cheer you up, sometimes they lead you a merry dance through memories and things you have forgotten.