On January 8, 2024, Gordon N. Bardos, an expert on Southeast Europe, intellectual, scholar, widely recognized erudite and prolific author, refined gentleman, loving husband, father, son, and friend to many, died at age 61 as a result of a heart attack while cross country skiing 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, SERRECON, 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 and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, the son and only child of Emil and Radmila Bardos, who immigrated from Serbia. Gordon was a devout Orthodox Christian, who as a youth served as an altar boy at the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church. He moved to New York City to attend Columbia University and was an active member of the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral parish. In 2014, Gordon moved with his family to Fairfield, Connecticut.

Gordon met his wife, Katsiaryna Salavei, in 2001, and was married in a 12th century Serbian Orthodox Studenica Monastery in Serbia, by the present Bishop Irinej of Eastern America of the Serbian Orthodox Church, 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. Gordon was a good friend to so many and has profoundly indebted the Serbian nation by clearly articulating truth to power. He was full of life and energy until his last breath.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Katsiaryna, Chair and Professor, Department of Finance at the Dolan School of Business, Fairfield University; children, Tatyana and Alexander; and mother, Radmila.

May his noble memory be eternal!

Funeral Arrangements for Gordon Bardos

Memorial Service - Pomen

Monday, January 15, 2024

Beginning at 6:30 PM

Visitation from 4:00 - 8:00 PM

Lesko Funeral Home

1209 Post Rd

Fairfield, CT 06824

Funeral Service - Opelo

Wednesday, January 17, 2024*

Beginning at 11:00 AM

St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church

1 Honeyspot Rd

Stratford, CT 06615


Internment - Oak Lawn Cemetery

1530 Bronson Rd

Fairfield, CT 06824

*Day & Date change due to predicted snowfall.