The point of an independently-written newspaper obituary isn't hagiography (or endorsement of everything the notable person did). There is a slant to avoid spea

The point of an independently-written newspaper obituary isn't hagiography (or endorsement of everything the notable person did). There is a slant to avoid speaking too ill of the dead, but typically obituary writers do not shy away from mentioning controversial aspects of the subject's life. The writer isn't celebrating that he funded the contras, but is instead reporting how he was perceived by the American political class, and also mention key controversies he was involved with. The mention of his involvement in the Iran-Contra affair is an example of responsible reporting; in contrast, an irresponsible writer would have omitted the topic, and you would have never read it.