Well considering that the set was issued only 7 years after the war and the men on it were adults at the time, not surprising they are dying off. They are mostly in their 80s or 90s by now.
As for the set itself, it will always be a fave. and not for the Mantle, which I've never owned and likely never will. My first old card was a 1952 Topps Dropo (still have it). I got this one signed decades ago and still have it:
