SUBREDDIT: r/relationships
TITLE: Me [34 M] with my Aunt [38?F], She just now appeared in my life and I don't know how to proceed
POST: Throwaway because my main account is too easy to doxx. I moved to where I live now in July of 2007 and while I knew I had family here, I never bothered to find them and until now they have returned the favor. But last week, my aunt(my father's-brother's ex wife) friend requested me on facebook. I saw she was already friends with my bother and cousin, so I accepted. Well, I open facebook tonight to a 5 message long chain of PMs including pictures of cousins I didn't know saying they want to meet me. 

Now, to understand why this is so weird, I have to go into a bit of backstory about this side of my family. They've never been close to me or my brothers. I have never spoken to any of them, and wouldn't know them if I ran into them on the street. The major thing about this branch of the family is that my uncle has been deceased since 2004. And I only learned about it because I googled my name and found the obituary notice. So, why are they trying to communicate with my now, almost 12 years later? I feel really put off by the whole thing, but I don't want to be a dick if they're genuine but I have no way of knowing. Should I respond? And what's the most likely reason they would reach out to me now?
TL;DR: 
Aunt didn't bother to tell me my uncle was dead 12 years ago. Now wants to meet me and I don't know what changed.