Well, "mostly dead" is not the same as "all dead." From what I've seen, mostly dead vines still feed the tubers and help them set for storage.
Norland reds are early potatoes. Dig them out, eat and share. Steamed, with dill and cream, OMG!
Yukons and Russets are keepers. I agree, store too early and they won't be nice at all. I guess there's a sweet spot for getting them out before mold/fungus starts to take hold, and digging into a few plants will tell you what's happening.
All of these are widely used commercial varieties, so finding clean seed is [dirt] simple. If it's disease, that's what I would do.
Looking for citations on "mostly dead" vs. "all dead" this is what came up. I hope it helps.