<p>I'd say profiles should just be left as is, unless the family reaches out and expresses a different desire. Because:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Simply put, Stack Exchange is not user focused. It's about Q&amp;As. Outside of chat, it's pretty much all about the content.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Users can have profiles, but ultimately what they write there is their own choice (assuming it's within site guidelines). Stack Exchange shouldn't be editing that. If a user passes away, the family essentially takes over their account and it's up to them to edit it if they wish to do so. Of course if they don't actually have access to the account, then they can ask Stack Exchange to edit it on their behalf.</p>
<p>Actually I'd also feel very weird about a user-focused site, e.g. Facebook, taking it upon themselves to edit someone's profile. In a much tighter-knit community where basically everyone knows each other quite well, it may be more appropriate though. Some Stack Exchange communities may get a bit closer to this than others, but even that probably doesn't get close to the level where it'd be appropriate in my opinion and you'll probably always have a whole lot of random users outside of whichever bubble you think you're in (making adding a personal note to a profile that doesn't belong to you a whole lot less appropriate).</p>
</li>
<li><p>I don't think a good case can be made for any user actually <em>needing</em> this information (considering that the site is about the content). You can't send private messages to users. The only place you could realistically expect a reply is by leaving a comment on their post. But users can and do already go offline for extended periods or permanently for a whole range of reasons, or they could simply miss or choose not to engage with replies to their older content.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><p>It can bring unwanted attention to the family. If some random user sees this, and the contributions of the deceased user meant a lot to that user, they may try to reach out to the family to express their condolences. Some may appreciate this, for others it could bring back painful memories. That's not our choice to make for them.</p>
</li>
<li><p>The family may not appreciate an obituary note. Perhaps they simply want to browse the contributions the deceased user made without being reminded of the fact that they're deceased.</p>
</li>
<li><p>The family should ultimately be in control of any public obituary notices. Even if the information is already public, that doesn't mean it's appropriate for anyone else to publicise that elsewhere (perhaps outside of private communities where that person was well-known).</p>
</li>
<li><p>It may simply not align with the wishes of the deceased or the family. I personally would just prefer if this information weren't noted on any public profile of mine after my passing, and the only people who I'd say could override this preference is my family. I generally keep my private life private and I don't see why dying should change that.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Let's not even get started on the risk of adding such a note if an obituary turns out to be fake, premature or for someone who just shares the same name.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>There is also <a href="https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/38742/how-should-a-users-death-be-handled">How should a user&#39;s death be handled?</a> on Meta SE, which contains similar thoughts.</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>On a site like ours, it's not as necessary as it is on more social networks. ...</li>
<li>Just being absolutely certain who's dead is harder than it sounds. ...</li>
<li>Even when you can confirm death, the deceased's wishes can be hard to discern and honor. ...</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
