Why Weep ?

In the '90s, Princes Diana died in a car crash in Paris. The thing that astonished me was people that didn't know her were openly weeping and weeping again during her funeral. I felt a little bit of pity myself but I didn't cry because I didn't know her personally. Some of those people that were weeping didn't weep for their uncle or aunty when they passed away yet they weep for a lady they never met. 

Perhaps their uncle or Aunty was there at every Christmas lunch and every guy Fawkes feast but they never cried at their funeral. But princes Diane died and they were inconsolable. 

If I passed away myself tomorrow, would I be aware of the passing of time, would my consciousness persist? Or would I be sleeping until resurrection? If I were unaware of the passing of time, would I know that centuries had passed by while I was in the grave after I were resurrected? Would it not seem like a short time had passed since I died.