Has anyone noticed siblings growing more distant and/or cutting ties after their last parent dies?

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3. My uncle and one of his brothers...

My uncle's mother died back in May of 2007. I was a pallbearer at her funeral because I was probably the closest thing she had to a grandson living in the area (all her actual grandchildren live in Germany). After she died my uncle and one of his brothers drifted pretty far apart to the point that they haven't spoken to each other in quite a while. They only live about five miles from each other. I think things are still ok between him and his brother that lives 70 miles away and the one in Germany.

As for my mom's family they've pretty much stayed as close as they did before my grandma passed away in 2003. Another uncle who lives in Louisiana doesn't come up every year now like he did before. He's been back twice since grandma's passing. There are no bad feelings that I know of, just that he and his wife don't feel the need to come up now that grandma's gone and they're busy with their own family. But I think he stays in touch with mom and her siblings just as much as before.