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A trademark is a name. The point is to remove ambiguity and confusion when multiple people are selling similar products. Ie to prevent name collision. Once the company or person is dead, there is no longer an issue. Having indefinite trademarks will mean we will eventually run out of names, as every name will eventually be taken over many years. By having them expire upon death, the trademark is freed up for reuse.

Perhaps not have it immediately upon death though. I wouldn't mind, say, a 200 year trademark, for instance. Trademarks aren't preventing culture, they're just clarifying names.

Imagine if one person ever in history could be named "Joe". Naturally during Joe's life it's useful to ensure no one else has his exact name. but after he's been dead for 200 years? Do we really need to make sure no one else ever is named Joe?

Look at the Atari situation. Atari is a company that is long gone and everyone knows it. However, companies are propping themselves up as atari because they own the Atari trademark. In the system of "someone holds their trademark even after death", these new atari companies can't call themselves atari. Is that good? bad? up for debate, but regardless no one is confusing them for the old classic atari (or maybe they are haha).

But atari (the old company) surely isn't being hurt by the confusion.