I begrudgingly agree to the fact that it is not profitable to put the paper online at no cost to the reader.
However, to have to subscribe just to read the obits is just a bit much. It should not be that difficult to allow you to read obits.
The only other option I can think of is to look at the funeral home(s) in the town and see if you can find the obit through them.
Foster's went subscription but initially allowed you to read 3 items per day, and the obits were not included in that. Now I can read the obits ok, but no more free items per day.