I was checking out [[Template:Lifetime]], which seems to be in a state
of flux, and was surprised to read
"Since Categories are preferred to be listed in most-common order, the
Lifetime template should generally be placed after the last Category tag
..."
WP:CAT has:
"The order in which categories are placed on a page is not governed by
any single rule (for example, it does not need to be alphabetical).
Normally the most essential, significant categories are listed first."
Which makes more sense to me, as representing the traditional view.
Calling birth and death dates somehow less essential than other
categories rather jars with my feelings.
Charles