I know and I normally don't do this, so please forgive my rather emotional response. But this obituary made me kind of angry. To comment on your original point

I know and I normally don't do this, so please forgive my rather emotional response. But this obituary made me kind of angry. To comment on your original point: I really think there's nothing fishy about it. He probably really wanted to be there, because his co-workers were the only other people in his life. I think the author was spot-on with his analysis, but just left it at that and some 'playful' anecdotes about his co-workers 'quirks' without questioning if maybe there's something to be learned from this, what I would call tragic and lonely death.