I’ll add my sincerest condolences and a thank you also.
Another thank-you Zenster. You have shown us that in the loss of a friend, there is also much to be gained.
Take care mate. 
Zenster, you remind us all of how important it is to enjoy each moment and not take for granted those who are in our lives. Your respect and loyalty to your friend is exemplary. My heart truly goes out to you over this loss.
May J.B.'s memory live on.
Zenster, thank you for sharing your celebration of your fiend J.B.'s life with us, I’m honored you did so. I hope it brought comfort to you, and that you know that we hold you in our hearts in this time of sorrow. Even if I do sound like a Hallmark card (a bad Hallmark card).
It’s always so hard to say forever goodbye to a friend.
My heart is with you, Zenster.
You all have my deepest gratitude. I’m really wiped out right now but will do my best to post tomorrow morning. I cannot thank you enough.
Much Love,
Chris
That was beautiful, Chris.
You have my sincerest condolances. Such friends are rare.
Obviously he had a life well worth living surrounded by friends like you.
-Tcat
good send off Zenster. I hope someone reads the book of the dead for my journey.
From one Kris to another… you have my very deepest condolences
He was a lucky man to have a friend like you. I’ll bring an extra hug to Portland Dopefest for you and J.B.
I’ve lost two dear friends so far in my life. You keep their spirits alive in this world by remembering them - and by sharing this story, you helped others know something about J.B. and gave part of his spirit to us. Be well.
I’ve read a lot of things on this message board. I’ve read everything from death notices to birth announcements, and this is the first thing that’s ever brought me close to tears. Ever. I usually have a very tight handle on my emotions, but this thread has pried my grip back just a little bit.
-Derleth, still emotional
That you can post so beautifully about this, is a testement to how you loved your friend and illustrates just how much a person can love.
My heart aches with you, Zenster. I, too, know the anguish and abject sadness of losing a dearly loved friend. Two, in fact, at young ages. I understand and empathize with the pain you are feeling now.
What a lovely memorial to your friend you have written in this posting. I am sure he knew the extent and depth of your friendship, and cherished it as you did. Thank you for letting us see this as well.
Peace and love to you, Chris.
dantheman, thanks for the kind words. Besides our health, friends and lovers are pretty much all we’ve got. It’s times like these that bring home how useless material possessions can be compared to friendship.
tanookie, thank you for your tears. I’ve been splashing the keyboard more than a little in the last couple of days. I now have had to realize that J.B.'s condition was so frail that he might not have even been able to receive a transplant. None of that changes how important it is for all of us to be donors. (Please don’t worry about those mischievous hamsters, m’kay?)
Marconi & Schmeese, I appreciate your kindness. I’m trying to learn how to be more kind in my life right now. Some lessons come the hard way.
Baker, thank you for your prayers. A sorrow shared is half the burden. You are very sweet to be so thoughtful. J.B. and I used to cook regularly, if not for friends then for his aging (and now gone) parents. Your recipe would make him smile. He was an incorrigible cook and had worked as a professional chef, bartender and waiter for most of his life.
Daizy, your kind words are deeply appreciated. I wish I could relate all of the tales told at the party. They were a window on J.B.'s life that is now closed for me.
bodypoet, thanks for lighting a candle. It’s flame will guide J.B.'s way home.
porcupine, I’m grateful for your condolences.
Aslan2, thanks for the online hugs. I’ve been needing a lot of them lately. Fortunately, my friends and neighbors all understand that.
Magayuk, I’m glad you read through my long post. I couldn’t think of any other way to say it. J.B. would have gotten such a howl out of all the cooking and mayhem at the graduation party that I just had to include it.
green_bladder, friendship is so irreplaceable in life. I don’t know how else to share the love that flows through me. I suppose it’s why I enjoy cooking so much. You can encourage life in people even if you do not know them in the least. There’s something about that I really like. I know J.B. felt the same way about it too.
Emperor Penguin, having good buddies like you here at these boards makes it all a lot easier than it might be.
robgruver, you do have a friend like me. I’d be honored to be your friend. Your fine sentiment is very touching indeed.
KCSuze, in recent years it has come home to me more strongly than ever before that the amity and community of friends is one of the most vital aspects of life there is.
Ruby, the pain is over for J.B… The hard part is remembering him without the pain. I refuse to mourn his death and instead choose to celebrate his life. If you had seen his crabbed body in the ICU, you would know how very right you are to say that the suffering is over. Now if only I could fix these leaking eyes of mine.
Blonde, a youthful sense of immortality is something that contributed to J.B.'s premature demise. Being dead three different times was one of the only things that finally made him finally realize just how much he wanted to be alive. Sadly, the damage done to his body in his youth came back to haunt him one last time.
FranticMad, you are most welcome. Your few words carry deep sentiment for me.
musicguy, obviously music is a big part of your life too. Please crank out a song or spin a disc and make some tunes for J.B. tonight. I thank you for it.
Tony Montana, your condolences are truly most welcome and very much appreciated right now.
kambuckta, finding light in the darkness is a personal vow for me. Thanks for passing me a torch right now. It’s been a bit grim lately.
ReBusEniGma, however much I try to avoid living just for the moment, I am also (slowly) learning just how precious some of those golden moments are. I’ve found these boards to be a wonderful place to share such instances that brighten up daily life. The second verse of my song is about this exact sort of life lesson.
Kallessa, I’ll do my best to maintain a tiny little hug deficit until we get a chance to meet up in Portland. I’m sure you’ve got one that will fill in the corners just right. And no, you don’t sound remotely like a Hallmark card. Not even one of their good ones.
Bad News Baboon, my heart is touched by your sweet sympathy.
Arden Ranger, the friendship we have already shared is something I’m leaning on right now. Please pardon any burden I place upon you, but my back’s a little bent for the moment.
Tomcat, please do me a favor and hoist a liter of that superfine Czech lager you have over there in memory of my friend. I’d be most grateful. More than a few glasses were lifted to him last night.
China Guy, I should have guessed that you’d know about “The Tibetan Book of the Dead.” That such a tiny country created one of the most compassionate documents I have ever read is part of what makes me so concerned for its future. I share the same hope as you and know that if we meet someday, we’ll be fast friends.
Krisfer the Cat, please bring that hug to Portland and also your child too. Right now, being around new life is something that I find most comforting of all. I’ll try to remember to buy a round in J.B.'s memory when we all get together.
Ferret Herder, thanks for being part of the sharing. Katie’s mother has been losing one friend a month this year. This is the first old friend I’ve ever lost and it’s something I don’t want to become practiced at.
Derleth, I appreciate your willingness to share in this sorrow. Your honesty makes it easy to believe you and also to feel as though I have another shoulder to lean on.
Zebra, memory is one of the few paths we have into immortality. I refuse to permit J.B.'s life to be extinguished like a candle flame. He’ll be living in my heart for the rest of my life. I just wanted to record some of the events surrounding his passing so they become part of that memory as well. I’m glad you were willing to let me share.
Sylkyn, evidently, you are a little too familiar with what I’m going through at the moment. Your kindness in the past is something that makes all of this easier to bear right now.
To everybody, my deepest thanks to each and every one of you. I’ll be posting some more later tonight to let you know about the good things that are happening to balance this sorrow. All of you have brightened my spirits in a time of darkness and I am profoundly grateful for it.
With Love,
Chris
I’m so sorry for your loss, Zenster. You sound like a kind and compassionate man - the type we need more of in this world.
Cheez, you people really know how to throw a wake. I hate generic services performed by clergy who never met the person. You and the rest of the people who loved J.B. worked hard and put together a service that would tell a stranger all about him.
BTW-After reading the OP, I was actually relieved. When I saw the thread title, I thought Zenster was saying goodbye to the SDMB.
Wow. What a beautiful post. I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend, but I hope you take comfort in the fact that you’ve provided him with a memorial that will allow him to live in the hearts of many people who never knew him. Thank you for that.
Ava
may his memory be eternal.
DocCathode’s first thought was also mine.
Zenster, that was an absolutely beautiful tribute to your friend J.B. I’ve been emotional these past few days because of other reasons, but this made me cry at the keyboard for the umpteeth time today. You were a very good friend to J.B., and he was lucky to have you in his life.
F_X