My lifelong Friend died last night

My lifelong friend, that I led to the Lord May 3rd, died last night.  I got a phone call this morning.  I will be doing his funeral at 10 am Saturday.  He and I had been friends for over 50 years.  Back in 1970, before I became a Christian, he and I spent a lot of time together.  He had just came home from Vietnam.  I was off work due to an oilfield injury.
We drank a lot and hashed over the hell of Vietnam time and time again.  I moved away in 1972 and he and I lost track of each other.  I moved back to my home town and we re-kindled our friendship again.  I went by to see him from time to time, we would talk about old times and laugh.  He was never raised in church, never knew much about Christianity at all.  Few of his family ever attended church.  I became very burdened about his soul and I began praying that the Lord would let him live long enough, that I should share what Jesus had done for me and what He would do for him.  On May 3rd of this year, just 3 weeks ago, I led him to Christ.  He prayed and wept with me.  Now, he is with the Lord.  God answered my prayer and now "Gib" is not in any more pain from the cancer that he had suffered with for over a year.
"Gib" lost a brother in Vietnam.  Two years later, he lost a friend there too and "Gib" escorted his body home and attended his funeral then, went back to Vietnam.  "Gib" was my friend, a good soldier, and a good husband.
This will be a tough funeral for me but, there will be a sense of joy and rejoicing behind the sadness and tears of his passing from this life.  I have been blessed and privileged to know "Gib", and most of all, have the honor to lead him to Christ.