I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. He sounds like someone I would have really liked.
As we get older, we inherit the status of those that have left us. I hope that when my day comes, I will have made good enough impressions upon people that they will memorialize me as we do our mentors and older friends. I want to be the old sea salt that helped kids learn to love fishing and all of our natural resources; the guy that shared information and was respected by those around him. I'll work harder to be that kind of person.
I believe that's two great friends of the fishing community that we've lost this year already.