Harry Hay died in 2002 at the age of 90. John Burnside survived him for another six years.
At the end of Harry’s life—and John’s—a circle of men in San Francisco made the decision that neither Harry nor John could take adequate care of themselves while living alone in Los Angeles. So the decision was made to move them to San Francisco in 1999.
During these last years both men remained quite active, attending public events, as well as co-facilitating the Daisy Chain Workshop at the Faerie Sanctuary in Wolf Creek, Oregon. But for the entire time of their lives in San Francisco, they were attended to by this circle of caring friends. Harry had long idealized a “Circle of Loving Companions” as part of his core philosophy. But for decades, the dream seemed one mostly shared between John and himself. But now at last—in his final years—his great, passionate idea of a circle of gay men living in loving companionship became a practical reality.
In a spring 2004 issue of White Crane, Jack Davis, a member of this Care Circle of Loving Companions, related the final caring act administered to Harry. After Harry’s death, the Care Circle continued to take care of John until his death from brain cancer in September, 2008.
With Stuart Timmons’ permission, and the permission of Jack Davis, we reprint his report of the final days of care given to Harry by this Circle of Loving Companions.
— Editors of the Centenary Edition