I am so sorry for your loss of a dear friend. I am very much of the opinion that storing a quilt is a waste, and just plain sad. I think, given it's history, I would be tempted to hang the finished top as a showpiece, or perhaps even offer to loan it to a quilt museum, but in the end I would quilt it and use it--not every day, but when I needed a pick-me-up. I think wrapping myself in a quilt like that would be like getting a hug from a dear friend who is no longer around to give one.