Obituary of Gordon N. Bardos

On January 8, 2024, the Bardos family lost their beloved daddy and husband, Gordon N. Bardos at an early age of 61. Gordon suffered a heart attack while cross country skiing by himself in Lake Minnewaska State Park.

Gordon received his M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. degrees in Political Science from Columbia University. He started a consulting firm, SEERECON, in 2011 that provided the analytical and predictive information needed to understand current and future developments in Southeastern Europe. He served as Assistant Director of the Harriman Institute at Columbia University from 2001-2011, and as program officer at the institute from 1998-2001. Gordon also served as Executive Director of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN), the world's largest scholarly organization dedicated to the study of nationalism, ethnic conflict, and ethnic conflict-management in the post-communist world.

Since 1999, he has been a Balkans consultant for Freedom House. In 1996-97, he served as a political advisor and chief linguist for NATO's Combined Joint Information Campaign Task Force (CJICTF) in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. He has commented on Balkan issues for Al Jazeera, the BBC, CNN, Radio Free Europe, and the Voice of America, and has published op-eds and articles in the Christian Science Monitor, the International Herald Tribune, the National Interest, the Washington Post, and in a variety of scholarly journals. Gordon was very passionate about his work.

Gordon was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Emil and Radmila Bardos, who immigrated from Serbia. He was the only child. He moved to New York City to attend Columbia University and moved to Fairfield, CT with his family in 2014. Gordon loved all seasons. During the Summer, he sailed Long Island Sound with his family and friends on his sail boat, Tatyana, that he himself varnished. He always said that he is the happiest by the water. In the Fall and Spring, he loved to go hiking. One of his favorite places to hike was the Hudson Valley, NY. In the Winter, he loved skiing, both downhill and cross-country. His favorite skiing adventure was in St. Moriz, Switzerland. He loved to travel near and far and explore new places.

Gordon loved history and read a lot. He assembled an impressive library of books. Gordon met his wife, Katsiaryna, in 2001 and got married in a 12th century Serbian Orthodox Monastery Studenica in Serbia on June 2, 2005. In 2013, they welcomed their beloved children, Tatyana and Alexander. Gordon was a devoted father and loved his children with his whole heart. He was always there for them. He taught them many skills; skiing, tennis, and sailing. His parenting was inspired by memoirs of famous people that he liked to read.

Gordon was a Serbian Orthodox Christian. He served as an altar boy as a child by his own initiative. Gordon was a good friend to so many. He was full of life and energy until his last breath.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Katsiaryna (43; children, Tatyana (10) and Alexander (10); and mother, Radmila (91).

Friends and family are welcome to come pay their respects at his visitation on Monday, January 15, 2024 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Lesko Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road, in Fairfield Center. A Panikhida (Memorial Service) and words of remembrance will start at 6:30 p.m. A Private Church Ceremony will be on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. Gordon will be buried at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Fairfield, CT.