I wouldn't be too hard on someone who made such a comment. Really all he is
doing is expressing condolences.

Agreed. There is often nothing good to say, so you say whatever
sounds good at the time.

We have sadly attended three funerals for pilot friends this year.
The first one happened in the coldest possible weather, the lines
wrapped around the funeral home, and the survivors were a beautiful
young wife and two little kids. It was heart-breaking, and NO ONE
said "he died doing what he loved", at least not when I was there.

The second funeral (for a couple) was completely different. They had
no kids, and were in their 50s, and the funeral was quite small. They
died together, left few survivors, and EVERYONE was saying "at least
they died doing what they loved".

Funerals are as different as weddings. Same as any social event, it
all depends on the folks involved...

Personally, I'd much rather die in a plane wreck than in an old-folks'
home, but the devil is in deciding WHEN. I've seen old age steal
everything from people, leaving them worse than dead, but it all
happens so incrementally that no one -- least of all you -- knows it's
happening.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"