Reply #3: Here is what I think is a decent reason

[The Straight Story]

When Paul Lynde died (Was on Bewitched and other shows) and Lucille Ball died I was sad. I had met Paul one time (I also met the Skipper from Gilligan's Island once) but these people meant something to me.

They came into my home via TV - I knew them, my friends knew them, and in some way or other they were a part of our 'family'.

We had something in common because of these famous people. They were, in their own way, a part of our family.

Not role models per se (although their roles in TV might have been) but we spent a lot of time with them, talking about them, laughing about them, and reading stories about them.

Yes, we had a whole life outside of them, but we were familiar with them.

So people care because there is, even if small to others, a connection.

Some of us grew up with these folks (Like Archie Bunker, Mel Brooks, Sports folks like Archie Griffin and Woody Hayes, etc) and they were a part of our life and dreams.

Seeing them pass on, 'fall', etc, has an emotional impact at times.