Well May 16th two years ago was certainly the "death" of a situation.  I pulled this card twice in a row today. No one really likes the death card due to ominous feel of it. However, the pale rider means something usually very different, not death of the body. It is often then end of a job, relationship so you can move on in a positive direction. There is light behind the rider, meaning positive things to come.
Think of it as sort of a "spring cleaning" for mind, body and soul so you can progress towards a brighter and happier future.