Obviously, to many of us at least, quite a bit. His demise is one clear reason for using the past simple. There are others, as you pointed out, but you seem to suggest that Barb's question was irrelevant. I would have posted a similar message if Barb had not got there first.
It doesn't necessarily make a difference. But it is a way of letting the OP know that such a factor plays a role in the syntax. The OP then thinks about the question, and realises other contextual factors that may be relevant.