You're definitely on target with this one, Wendy. I saw enough death volunteering as a paramedic, and people never dealt well with it, because they didn't know how.

I'll offer just one observation: the "passed on" and similar euphemisms are products of Christian ideology. The whole idea is that because of Jesus, people do not die any more, but pass on into the Kingdom of Heaven.

I agree it's a euphemism, but if it helps people to think that their loved one has simply gone into another life, I'm not going to argue with them about it.