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Laguna Mayor Says AIDS Led to Companion’s Death

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Times Staff Writer

Gary Burdick, the 15-year companion of Laguna Beach Mayor Robert F. Gentry, died early Tuesday in a Newport Beach hospital of complications from AIDS, Gentry said.

Burdick, 49, died at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. While the coroner will investigate the cause of death, Gentry said he is certain that it was related to acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

“I’m angry that he passed away from a disease that should not have killed him,” Gentry said Wednesday.

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Before his death, Burdick had tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus, so Gentry said he believes Burdick had AIDS.

Gentry expects to receive results of Burdick’s blood test in about a week. “I’m convinced it will come up positive” for AIDS, he said.

Gentry, the only openly gay elected official in Orange County, said that while he advocates AIDS testing, he has not himself been tested.

“I did not have the strength to do it,” he said. “But now I will.”

Gentry said he wanted to avoid sharing any bad news with Burdick: “I tried to spare both of us that burden.”

A private funeral service will be held at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in Cypress. A public memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Laguna Room at the Hotel Laguna. Gentry requested that donations be made to the Costa Mesa-based AIDS Service Foundation of Orange County, the Laguna Shanti Project or the AIDS Response Program, in lieu of flowers.

Described as “a great animal lover,” Burdick bred dogs and horses for shows, and later rabbits as a hobby, Gentry said.

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Co-workers at the Images For Hair salon in Corona del Mar, where Burdick worked as a stylist, said he will be missed.

“He was probably the most happy and upbeat person I’ve ever worked with,” Paula Marralle said. “He didn’t seem like a sick person to me.

“He must have been a very strong person to make everything all right every day,” she said. “We’ll really miss him.”

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