The Sports Page was its usual hopping, happening place Saturday evening, a raucous, noisy tavern, bulging with people shouting to be heard above their  collective din and the heart-whacking beat.

One man who should have been there, but wasn’t, was responsible for most of that Saturday crowd.

Indeed, Christopher Davis Johnson was the night’s central figure and the subject of more than a few teary and laughter-filled conversations.

Davis, the life of the party, the guy in the middle of many happy times at The Sports Page and at local skateparks, was 27 years old when, police say, the former boyfriend of his new girlfriend shot him to death in her apartment in February.

All proceeds of the benefit helped Johnson’s family cover his funeral and burial costs, as well as other liabilities brought on by the murder.

“I just wanted to help the family out paying expenses,” said Carri Williams, Johnson’s cousin and one of the main organizers of the benefit. “Chris didn’t have life insurance, he didn’t have a wife, kids, nothing like that, so I just wanted to help the family out as best I could.

“I also wanted to bring all his friends and family together and share their stories, do something nice and raise some money at the same time, help my aunt pay the bills,” Williams added.

“Chris was a funny, Chris was a clown, he wore crazy clothes, did crazy things. He lived life to the fullest. He loved everybody. What happened to him is senseless; it should never have happened,” said friend Christina McCluskey.

“Very loud, very confident, and you can see that in the pictures all around the walls,” said “Smashley,” a server who declined to give her last name.

The benefit lasted from 5-10 p.m. and featured raffles, a silent auction and a $10 spaghetti buffet. Among the silent auction and raffle items were two Mariners tickets, a complete Marrada skateboard, Marrada skateboard decks, Johnson’s blue moped/scooter, Easter baskets, gift certificates from Action Tattoo, Jason’s Coffee Shop and Auburn Golf Course, and homemade cookies.

The Sports Page, Outhouse Printing and Marrada Skateboards sponsored the event.

To make a donation, please contact: Christina McCluskey at cmccluskey77@gmail.com or Carri Williams at carriwilliams@comcast.net, or call 253-561-1816.