Why are believers still afraid of death?

[RoadRunner79]

If they think there is an afterlife then why do they fear death? In the case of christians, many of them believe in Hell, so this might explain it. But why do they still cry if a loved one dies who respected all the christian rules in their lifetime?

I think that change is difficult and often emotional.  You may find a similar reaction to a loved one who is moving away, and that you likely won't see them again or for a long while.  I've seen mothers cry when their child goes off to school for the first time, or then when moving out for college.  It's still a loss in the immediate sense.  So I wouldn't equate crying with fear.

As you had mentioned, Christians do have something to fear in the judgment.  There is also hope here.  But it seems to me, that your question can also be flipped around.   Apart from the emotional toll of change and an immediate loss.   Why do atheist cry at funerals?  If life is meaningless and there is nothing afterwords, then what does the non-believer have to fear (apart from the change and immediate loss I already mentioned)?

Also, I feel obliged to note, that I don't think that Christianity is about following the rules or checking off more boxes in one column over another.  There's only one box that needs to be checked (Are you His?)