Hey Rel,
Death might be a part of life (as someone above suggested) but it never gets easy. Next time you are all sitting around the gaming table, missing Ted, pay him respects with a toast or whatever memorial suits your group. Better yet, keep one of his PCs around as an NPC -- then you don't have to lose all of him all at once. One less gamer in the world is a sad thing in the abstract, but losing a friend of twenty years is a true tragedy. Take care of yourself and, as far as you can, that girlfriend your buddy left behind.