I recently finished the series (and loved it, by the way), but one thing started bugging me after I had pondered on the amazing anime I had just finished. Why is Death the God of Death? I don't mean how did he get the position, I just mean why was the character made in the first place. He does not fairy souls to Heaven or Hell, he doesn't do anything God of Death-ly, really. None of his actions in the anime directly depend on his position as God of Death (which is a pretty dramatic position to give a character.. it should mean something!), besides being an authority figure. Basically he could be in any other position, or carry any other title or authority and the series would have ended up exactly the same.
I don't know what his position as God of Death contributes to the overall narrative, really. Please tell me I'm just being stupid and/or I've overlooked something? 
What else could Death be? It's really simple and I think you're overthinking things.
In the manga/anime, he created a a school for technicians (meisters) to train weapons to capture kishin eggs, so those said eggs wouldn't turn into kishins. When a weapon eats 99 kishin eggs and the soul of a witch, it becomes a Death Scythe, one of his most powerful weapons. That's the plot in the beginning.
Now, to ask why Death was made is silly...because death just exists. Everything dies one way or another, and the character is a symbolic example of that - all while providing a plot in Soul Eater.
You have a good point, however that's the joke. He's not doing anything you'd expect Death to do. Heck, you're not even asking the real question: why is he wearing the mask, gloves, and cloak? It's not like his son has to wear any of them. He just chooses to occasionally wear the mask and cloak on some missions. And for that matter: who is Kid's mother? Why hasn't she ever been mentioned?
There's more to Death than just him not ferrying souls to the afterlife.
Anime that needs to be licensed:
Aria: The Scarlet Ammo Beelzebub Familiar of Zero Future Diary Haganai (Acquired!)
And of course Case Closed needs to be saved. In addition, more Fairy Tail!
Oh, and I forgot. Kid is supposed to succeed his father. So, what's going to happen to Death? Is he going to die? Is he going to retire? This can't just be a normal succession like with royalty, because it deals with grim reapers/shinigami (japanese death gods). Basically, Death having a son really confuses matters.
Anime that needs to be licensed:
Aria: The Scarlet Ammo Beelzebub Familiar of Zero Future Diary Haganai (Acquired!)
And of course Case Closed needs to be saved. In addition, more Fairy Tail!
While he doesn't ferry souls of anything like that, he does decide who lives and who dies (well, with kishins anyway). So even if he wasn't a god, he would still be playing god.
In the manga/anime, he created a a school for technicians (meisters) to train weapons to capture kishin eggs, so those said eggs wouldn't turn into kishins. When a weapon eats 99 kishin eggs and the soul of a witch, it becomes a Death Scythe, one of his most powerful weapons. That's the plot in the beginning.
Now, to ask why Death was made is silly...because death just exists. Everything dies one way or another, and the character is a symbolic example of that - all while providing a plot in Soul Eater.
I suppose that's my fault for wording things the wrong way, but I wasn't referring to why the character exists in the first place, but to whatrolehis character plays in the show, that is dependant on his position as God of Death.
As an example, we have Weapons. They fulfill their position in the story not by being normal people because they're not, but by transforming into weapons. And Meisters, their position as a meister is to wield Weapons and hunt down kishin eggs, which they perform.
BUT, upon thinking about it, you're right, I've over-thought things. I suppose his position as God of Death sees that he safeguards the world of the living and protects it from evil, which is why he created the academy in the first place. I can live with that.
You point out some good questions, there. I was going to say he chose to wear the cloak, gloves and mask so that he appeared less menacing to children, which has been his reason for the mask at least in the show. But after I though about it awhile,
Perhaps he's just a drama queen and likes to stay in "character"? LOL. As for Kid's mother... your guess is as good as mine. There's no point even speculating on that one because we have nothing whatever so go on.
Ah yes, another confusing question. Wikipedia states that "as Kid grows stronger, Death grows weaker." though I'm not sure if there is any validity to that whatsoever. Although, it would explain the circumstances of succession, and it does seem to be mildly true.
Too true.
I forgot about the whole Death chooses who lives and who dies thing. Fun fact: in the manga there is no such thing as kishin eggs. The people who are hunted by the meisters are on Death's list of people too evil to continue living, which is the kind of thing a god would do. Or a crazy person with a god complex whose name rhymes with "schmight."
Didn't know about the whole "as Kid grows stronger, Death grows weaker." But I still can't imagine Death dying. It kind of a weird thing to think about. I understand the get-up is part of Death's persona and that he's been wearing it for a long time, but it doesn't make me any less curious to see what's under there.
And one last thing...
Anime that needs to be licensed:
Aria: The Scarlet Ammo Beelzebub Familiar of Zero Future Diary Haganai (Acquired!)
And of course Case Closed needs to be saved. In addition, more Fairy Tail!
Oh yeah, I forgot about something from the manga