...covers it nicely, whether a private acknowledgement or just a matter of propriety. The email/internet funeral every dam time strikes me as presumptive, or do people really want to wallow in the mud of misery?

Me? There are enough things in life competing with each other to deny me joy, and quite frankly I'm not having it. I have days when the Black Dog comes, but otherwise I have things to do that make me happy in retirement. Finding shit to wallow in ain't on that list.

When he comes looking for me and finds me, I'll greet Death as an old friend. Until then, I won't cowering in the shadows counting those I know who have greeted him thus, and I quite frankly don't understand those who will. It must be a civvie thing (you being a welcome exception) or perhaps a Yank thing, for it seems pervasive.