Deber

Can I translate 'tuve el triste deber de escribir y publicar la necrológica ' as ' I had the sad duty to write and publish the obituary '

I had the sad duty/job of writing and publishing the obituary.
(sounds more natural to me)

¿y el derecho y el deber?
v.gr. 'es ineludible en las Universidades y Escuelas de Ingeniería Topográfica y Geodésica, que tienen el derecho y el deber de conocer y enseñar su Historia'

My attempt:

'this must be inescapable in Universities and in Topographic and Geodesic Engineering Schools which have the right and duty of knowing and teaching their History'