Mary O’Connor, known best for being Hugh Hefner’s beloved secretary for more than 40 years, died on Jan. 27. Mary was featured on The Girls Next Door reality show along with Bridget Marquardt, who spoke to us exclusively about her sad passing.

Bridget Marquardt Speaks To HollywoodLife.com About Mary O’Connor

“I actually knew Mary before I even moved into the mansion. I met Mary when I first moved to L.A. through a mutual friend in late 2001 or early 2002. I went to her and Capt. Bob’s house for dinner and to play cards. Mary loved to play card games and have small parties at her house. So, I’ve actually known her her for about 11 years — 7 for which I was living at the mansion.”

“Mary and I were close. I use to go into her office almost every morning, sometimes alone and sometimes with Holly, and hang out with her chatting, until Hef would come in and chase us out so they could start working!”

“Mary was a confidant that you could always count on. I could vent to her, and she would listen, but even more than that she always had a solution for whatever was bothering me. If she thought it was absurd, she had her way of letting you know that too. She was excited about my opportunities and was an emotional pillar for the down times. I would not have lasted at the Mansion as long as I did without Mary, especially through the first few years.”

Bridget echoed the sentiments of everyone who knew Mary, saying life won’t be the same without her.

“Mary was instrumental at the Mansion in so many ways. I can’t even imagine what life will be like there without her.”

“Mary didn’t mind being on camera, but she didn’t like being the center of attention. She would easily interact with us on camera for the show, but when it came to anything that was about her (like her birthday episode) she would practically run away! She was a dear friend, one that will never be replaced, and she will be missed.”

Playboy Housemates Tweet Sadness About Mary O’Connor’s Death

Hugh first spoke on the news on Jan. 27, tweeting, “Mary passed away today. We loved her more than words can say.”

Bridget also tweeted, “Thank you for all the sweet messages. Mary O’Connor will be missed.#RIPMary.”

Kendra Wilkinson tweeted, “RIP Mary O’Connor. She was an amazing person who helped me through so much. But I know she’s happy with her boo Captain Bob. :)” Kendra also blogged a sweet obituary.

Holly Madison said, “Rest In Peace Mary!”

Hugh’s current wife Crystal Hefner tweeted, “Hef’s long time secretary & my dear friend Mary O’Connor has passed away. It’s a very sad day here at the Playboy Mansion. We love you Mary.”

The Feeling Inside The Playboy Mansion

A source connected to the Mansion tells HollywoodLife.com that people close to Mary, especially Hef, are “devastated that she is gone. She was complete class and super nice and everyone is bummed that she is no longer around. She was everyone’s extra Mom or Grandmother.”

The source added, “It’s just as bad and sad as if Hef passed. She was that important to people.”

WATCH: Mary Plays Cards With Bridget And The Girls 

— Reporting by Dory Larrabee and Russ Weakland, Written by Dory Larrabee

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More On Mary O’Connor, Hugh Hefner’s Beloved Secretary:

1. Mary O’Connor: Photos Of Hugh Hefner’s Late Secretary
2. Mary O’Connor Dies — Hugh Hefner Speaks On Secretary’s Passing
3. Mary O’Connor Dead — Hugh Hefner’s Secretary From ‘Girls Next Door’ Dies

The ‘Girl Next Door’ star knew Hef didn’t want kids and she was scared she’d miss out on the chance to be a mom one day –  so she sneaked off and had some eggs put on ice!

Now she’s moved on and found love with director Nicholas Carpenter, Bridget Marquadt, 37, is thinking about babies — and considers her harvested eggs an ‘insurance policy.’ What a good idea!

“I had my eggs harvested a few years ago,” Bridget explains to Star magazine. “I was at the mansion and I knew that kids were something I would like to have someday. And it didn’t look like there would be kids anytime in my near future. So I did something to kind of insure I have a little more time.”

Bridget was the oldest of 85-year-old Hugh Hefner‘s three girlfriends at the time — she shared the Playboy Mansion with Holly Madison, 31, and Kendra Wilkinson, 26 — so harvesting her eggs seems like a pretty sensible idea!

Two-and-a-half years after she left the mansion, Bridget hasn’t given up hope of having a baby naturally — the eggs are just a back-up!

She adds, “If I decide I want a baby and I’m having problems, then I have that extra chance.”

What do you think HollyMoms? Would you ever freeze your eggs if you were with a partner who didn’t want kids?

– Ian Garland

More Kendra Stories:

1. Kendra Wilkinson & Hank Baskett: Why We Need Our Date Nights Plus When Baby #2 Is Coming! Exclusive!
2. Kendra Wilkinson Felt Like She Had ‘Nothing To Live For’ While Struggling With Postpartum Depression!
3. Hank And Kendra Have A Family Day At The Park — Reunited And It Feels So Good!

Bridget Marquardt, Holly Madison and Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett all send their love to Hugh Hefner after his fiancee leaves him before their wedding! Plus Hef makes a joke about his ‘runaway bride’!

Hugh Hefner took to Twitter today to announce his breakup with fiancée Crystal Harris. Poor guy, another bunny has left the mansion. To cheer up the man that made them household names, Hugh’s ex-girlfriends tweeted their condolences about Crystal’s “change of heart” and Hef himself had a few (funny) choice words of his own.

“Just stopped by the mansion 2 give @hughhefner a hug. He seems to be handling this well. He even had a sense of humor about it! #LoveUHef.” tweeted Bridget.

How cute, we’re glad Hef has some-bunny who loves him! Since both Kendra and Holly are in Vegas celebrating Kendra’s 26 birthday, they tweeted to Hef about getting together when they are back in LA to cheer him up.

“U r too sweet. Wish I was there to support, too!’ was Holly’s response to Bridget.

With all these lovely ladies sending Hugh their love, he will be back in the game in no time. Hugh is the ultimate bachelor and won’t let this breakup ruin him. In fact, he has been tweeting a lot today and showed that he is not too depressed to make a joke about the situation.

“Since we’re not getting married on Saturday, I’ve scheduled a movie: ‘Runaway Bride.’ Seems appropriate.” tweeted Hugh. Although he is putting up a strong front, he is definitely still hurting.

“Crystal took Charlie with her when she left & I really miss him” tweeted Hugh.

So sad, Hugh has been through enough heartbreak that she could have at least left the dog. Do you think Hugh will be able to spring back from this break-up? He might have a whole new triage of girlfriends by the end of next week! Or do you think this will really resonate? What playmate should he court next?

Johnni Macke

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The former ‘Girls Next Door’ star has her sights set on Kirstie Alley to take home the Mirror Ball trophy!

Dancing with the Stars comes back tonight with a fresh batch of performances, and Bridget Marquardt is behind Kirstie Alley for the win! The former Playboy Playmate talked to HollywoodLife.com about why she’s supporting the DWTS fan favorite.

We asked Bridget who she would pick to win the show if she couldn’t pick her BFF Kendra Wilkinson.”Oh My God! I have it TiVo’d and haven’t watched all of them but I am rooting for Kirstie Alley,” Bridget gushed exclusively to HollywoodLife.com at the Svedka Night of a Billion Reality Stars in Hollywood April 7 adding, “I think it is really great for her. She is doing such a great job!”

Bridget’s not the only Kirstie fan and Kendra has said in the past that Kirstie Alley is one of her biggest competitors, so do you think Kirstie will take home the trophy? Or will one of the other dancers win? Vote below!

Russ Weakland

Uh-oh! These stars have matching hair at the same event! Who looks better?

At the American Red Cross Santa Monica Chapter’s Annual Red Tie Affair on Apr. 9, Paris Hilton, 30, hit a bit of a snag when she showed up in a nearly identical hairdo to Girls Next Door star Bridget Marquardt, 37!

With big teased poufs in the back and side parts in the front, these looks are so similar that it’s hard to tell them apart! Paris wears a slightly sleeker version, while Bridget sports a looser ‘do with pieces around her face.

Which star do YOU think wears it better? Tell us in the poll below!

–Allie Jordan

You can now breathe easy, Kendra — although your fellow former Playboy bunny IS writing a book, your deepest, darkest secrets won’t be revealed!

Life doesn’t get much worse than when a sex tape starring YOU is released for all the world to see, but for awhile, it sounded like Kendra Wilkinson‘s year might have gotten a whole lot worse! Her former pal and fellow Playboy bunny, Karissa Shannon, said she was writing a book about all the nasty things Kendra, who’s now a wife and mother, got up to at Hugh Hefner‘s mansion. However, Karissa tells us that although she IS writing a book, it isn’t going to be a Kendra tell-all. Phew!

“I’m working on a new book right now. It’s an autobiography. It’s going to include things about life at the mansion,” the 20-year-old blond told HollywoodLife.com exclusively at OK! magazine’s fifth anniversary party Sept. 1 in Hollywood. “[It was reported] that it was a tell-all about Kendra, but that totally got twisted. Kendra is involved in it because she was at the mansion at the time.”

The book WILL delve into the seedy underbelly of the Playboy mansion, though. “There’s a whole other side of Playboy that nobody knows and I’m going to be able to explain,” she tells us. “[I'm going to write] totally unexplainable things that nobody would ever expect. It’s the Hef that no body knows. It’s the Hef that I know personally. Kendra might not have wanted to talk about it, but I’m willing to talk about it!”

While Kendra seems to be safe from harm, Karissa is more than willing to diss the other Playmates. “The other girls had things against us because we kind of took over their show,” she says of Bridget Marquardt and Holly Madison. “[My twin sister Katrina and I] are the younger and better looking Playmates. They’re all kind of old and they put in all the work to make the show. We just kind of came in and took over. So there’s a lot of jealousy going on there, but I don’t have a problem [with Holly].”

Laura Schreffler with reporting by Charlsie Niemac & Sarah Attman

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Would you watch former ‘Girls Next Door’ star Bridget’s new reality show? She gives HollywoodLife.com ALL the details!

Taking a page out of Kendra Wilkinson‘s playbook, Bridget Marquardt says she wants a hubby, a baby … and a reality show!

Just like her BFF Kendra, Bridget wants to live her life in front of the cameras!  Hours before hitting the red carpet for the premiere of Clash of the Titans in L.A. on Mar. 31, Marquardt and her director boyfriend Nick Carpenter got the news that their reality television show pilot (still untitled) is a go — and they told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY all about it!

“We’re probably just going to make it about having a baby and getting married,” Bridget’s BF Nick half-jokingly remarks. “There are some working titles, but I don’t know what the official name will be.  But it’s going to be a reality type show based on some adventures!” Bridget dished. “Some entrepreneurial things we have coming up so, we’ve been working on a lot together.” —Allison McNamara & Jo Piazza

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