To be honest Stuck I'm not sure in the west that the society we live in prepares any of us for death. I don't think it's just that religion that's failed us I think society in western countries generally shrinks away from anything to do with death.
I have so far only been able to comfortably talk to an ex-colleague about my father-in-law dying last Thursday without getting a weird reaction and I think that's because she's Chinese.
If you look on this forum there is a thread about a humanist funeral from yesterday I think and most people have avoided it.
We have lost so many family and friends this last ten years, my daughter has been to fourteen funerals and she's only 22. Is there anything taking the place of religion for atheists like my daughter and myself to turn to for comfort in my country (UK)? Not in our experience.