You have spoken well. The generosity of the Master with those hired late in the day is directly on point. But, God is All Just, so he isn’t arbitrary in his generosity. Consider the teaching concerning the Prodigal Son. The Faithful Son said, what gives? I’ve been obedient all my days. And when did you have a party to celebrate that? What did the father say? Did he say, Hey, this is my stuff and I can do what I will with it! Are you jealous because I am generous? No. In this instance he says all I have is yours.
One way to reconcile these two seemingly divergent teachings is that we who have been faithful will see and accept the Justice and Mercy in God’s Salvation. So, if Hitler is in Heaven (which I really doubt), we will understand and praise God for it. I also think it is instructive that the Bible says God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. I think this means that those who are truly evil God has judged them and will not allow them to repent. I say this because all the sinners I know, I among them, aren’t intending evil, but have human weaknesses in terms of ignorance and lack of will power. None of the sinners I have known have or had hardened hearts.
At least I can say this, everybody I have gotten to know, I would be very happy to see in Heaven and I pray for them, including those who have gone before me (because what is time to God). The man in the article who, after thirty years, sought to be forgiven by his son, who had become a priest, God did not harden his heart, but kept him alive so that he and his son could be reconciled with each other and also be reconciled with their Heavenly Father.
I would part company with you here in that is is good and right that we thank God for the friends we have/had on earth. But prayer can't change the future or lot of one departed. The writer of Hebrews tells us,
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
prayer for the dead avails nothing, if he be saved, he has no need of prayer; if he be damned prayer has no effect. But it is a good reminder to pray for those we love in this world that God may bring them to the knowledge of the truth and for those that have it, that God strengthen their faith that they may persevere to the end.