BOISE — Hundreds of friends — a who’s who in political, legal, historical and literary circles — gathered in Barber Park to celebrate the life of retired Supreme Court Justice Byron Johnson, who died Dec. 9, 2012.

Friends remembered several “practice wakes” that Johnson held when he was younger, and in that spirit, the event included music, toasts, poetry, the Idaho City Marching Kazoo Band, right, and other festivities — not to mention four cases of wine, a keg of beer and 12 large bottles of George Dickel Whisky, Johnson’s favorite.

The wake ended with a traditional Dixieland funeral march, complete with festive umbrellas, above, and a borrowed coffin — Johnson was cremated.