Does anyone else not like using past tense to describe someone who passed?

It’s been around 2 years and I hate mentioning that he has passed. I use present tense when describing him. I don’t like using “he was…” I like using “he is…” As an example “he is a man of god” vs. “he was a man of god.” He still is a man of god and he still is an amazing person the change is that he’s no longer with us. I don’t know if any of that makes sense, but does anyone else feel the same?