I have a close friend whose husband died shockingly and abruptly. I knew at the time that she could have cared less about his miles, but I also knew that in time she would begin to live again. I took over contacting the airlines on her behalf, and prepared all the necessary paperwork for her to sign. (We're talking months after the death, not days.) I dealt with UA and AA; both were superb about making the transfer.

And yes, now 18 months on, she is beginning to travel. Further, she has far flung children (late teens, early 20s) for whom the miles are a blessing as they fly in to visit.