Why do we Love the Dead?

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Why is it that when people die, not only famous people,even ordinary everyday people, others seem to deem it necessary to say something good about the person even if he is "not that good" I mean, when Saddam was executed, many people reacted that it shouldn't have been done, blah blah, and that he was a good leader and his people loved him. Princess Diana, although she had a good heart had problems of adultery and being self centered but when she died in the accident, people kept saying that it was a shame and that she was such a good person, but when she was alive, people cram to buy gossip magazines to see her latest 'exploits' and say tsk, tsk.. Like our neighbor who was a drunkard, people would say he was a good man, a good father and stuff, but all of us know that he was a drunkard, but in death people can only say good things about him. Or a relative who we knew to be bad or irresponsible, but in death we see this person to be good. A friend of mine said it was a sign of respect for the dead and for the deceased relatives. Why can't we just be honest, or simply not say anything at all... When my dad died, in my speech, i said don't say my father was a good man, don't say he was a good father, provider or whatever, we all know what he was. We know he was not good, we know he was not perfect, he has his flaws, mistakes and he has his moments, good and bad. His death was even a result of his follies (My father was a chronic smoker, and he died of lung cancer). All I ask is that we forgive him for all his mistakes and pray that his soul rests in peace. Well I was just wondering and wanting to find out if I'm the only one who feels that just because a person died, we don't have to feel the need to say something good about the person, and that no matter what that person will ultimately be the one responsible to the one higher being for all that he did or did not do when he was alive, and no amount of accolade for the person will change that. What do you think?