John Francis Mallette, 36, died of heart failure at his Baltimore home on Dec. 1, 1998, according to his friend, Coy Stout.

Mallette was born May 18, 1962, in West Seneca, N.Y. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park in 1984, and then moved to Washington, D.C., to work in public relations and marketing for MCI Communications. From 1987 to 1989 he worked as an administrative planner for the National Education Association, but then moved to California, where he earned a master’s degree in social work from San Diego State University in 1993. While in California, he worked in many social work capacities, including: independent living counselor for the Association of Retarded Citizens, counselor for AIDS Foundation San Diego, intern for Alvarado Parkway Psychiatric Institute, and peer advocate coordinator for Being Alive. He moved to Baltimore in 1995.

Mallette was a social worker with the Maryland AIDS Administration, where he worked closely with the Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program and as an advocate for people with HIV/AIDS. Stout said Mallette enjoyed his work tremendously, and frequently spoke at local, state, and national events about his personal experience of returning to work from disability with the help of new HIV therapy.

Mallette was a visible, outgoing member of the HIV/AIDS community, and he belonged to many local organizations, such as the PLWA Coalition of Baltimore and the Social Work AIDS Network. Some of his varied interests included painting, reading and aerobics, and he was a member of the Downtown Athletic Club and the book discussion group of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore. He also volunteered with AIDS Action Baltimore and Chase-Brexton Health Services.

Mallette was cremated in a private ceremony in December. A memorial service for his friends will be Sunday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. at the Waxter Center at 816 Park Ave., Baltimore. Memorial donations may be sent to AIDS Action Baltimore, 2105 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218.