I do the glue up one often. I get cherry, maple, and a few other woods from a guy on Ebay. He sell like 20-30 boards in a box. He sells 1/2", 1/4" thickness, the pieces are 12" long and you can get in different widths usually from 2 1/2" - 4". I have always received good wood from him. Goo service. Various prices depending species thickness and width requested. I have always paid less than $45 with free shipping.
Very sorry for your loss of your friend. Unfortunately, the older we all get, the more frequently it occurs.