should you tell people that he died?

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i have met and known a very important person (VIP) in the country where i am working. he used to be at the top of the employees' hierarchy. of course, he may not know all the people under him. but all that are under him know and still look up at him as a very good model of professionalism. then i met one of these people under him. i knew that this VIP already passed away recently. i asked this subordinate if he knew this man and he said yes. that this VIP is a very professional one and a very good being. then he told me that he knew this VIP went out of the country to have an operation. and then he followed that "but he should be back in the country by now." i was stopped thinking if should i tell him or not that the person we were talking is dead. although, in the first place, when i knew that he worked in the same company of this VIP, it was in my mind to tell him that the VIP already died. yet i didn't. i thought i wanted him to think that this person still exists and brings hope and stands as a role model. am i right? but i have already told another person before. and he just answered with sympathy and sadness, then nothing else.