Predrag Paul Pajic

“Paja,” was a retired South Slavic senior specialist at the Library of Congress where his career spanned 45 years and he was a founding member of the Library of Congress Professional Guild - AFSCME Local Union 2910 as well as an Executive Boardmember and Trustee.

He obtained his BS degree in 1956 from Teachers College in Banja Luka and was later educated in Paris (Institut de Theologie Orthodoxe) and Washington, DC (American University) where he studied theology, Russian literature and philosophy. An Orthodox Christian Humanist with deeply felt democratic views, his enduring passion in life was Balkan history, thought and politics from the time of his escape from communist Yugoslavia via Austria in 1957 until his death. It was at the refugee camp in Asten-bei-Linz where he met his first wife and mother of his children.

Prior to his 1960 transatlantic voyage aboard the “SS United States,” Mr. Pajic was a correspondent for UPI in Yugoslavia and journalist for several Yugoslav newspapers and librarian/cataloguer at the Library of Banja Luka. As a young immigrant and new father, he juggled day jobs at the American University Library in research and acquisitions, freelance journalist with Voice of America, Yugoslav desk and analyst in Machine Translation Research of Georgetown University with nights waiting tables at the Georgetown French restaurants “Chez Odette” and “Jour et Nuit.”

Named "our man in DC" and "Washington's Serbian Gray Eminence" by the Serbian leading daily "Politika", Mr. Pajic was the lynchpin that connected Yugoslav intelligentsia to the American academia, power and politics. His generosity, hospitality and kindness in those circles were legendary.

His most important work was done in the 80s and 90s with and for "The Democratic International" (Demokratska Internacionala, in Serbian), an organization for the promotion and propagation of democratic ideas in Eastern Europe and the world.

As an astute observer of Yugoslav and Serbian politics, Mr. Pajic provided an invaluable analysis for the Congressional Research Service and solid personal advice to numerous US senators, congressmen, Presidents and Vice Presidents who counted him among friends.

Fluent in seven languages, his government service also included many years moonlighting for the US State Department, escorting and interpreting for visiting dignitaries from the Balkans.

He was a devoted family man who saved every single greeting card and gift from his children and grandchildren. Highly social, he loved to drink Slivovic, the potent plum brandy native to his homeland and play cards, hosting regular Bridge and Preferans games in his home. His annual parties or “Slavas” honoring his patron Saint Nicholas were always highly anticipated and well attended. He is remembered as a gentleman who only wore suits which in his prime included shirts with monogrammed PPP French cuffs. For decades, every restauranteur, shop owner, vendor or loiterer along the first few blocks of Pennsylvania Ave SE acknowledged him by name.

He always tried to find the best in every situation, even his failing health. Instead of it being about his own needs, his regret was that he was not able to be of service to anybody.

Predeceased by his beloved second wife Mary Jupenlaz and his first wife Ruth Spicer who were close friends with each other until their deaths.

Survived by son Daniel Bogdan Pajic of Fredericksburg, VA, daughter Anne Donnelly (Patrick Donnelly) of Arlington, VA, daughter Tamara Pajic Lang of Mount Tremper, NY, Grandchildren Nicholas Donnelly, Harry Lang, Laszlo Lang, Tess Donnelly and Teagan Donnelly.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Luke Serbian Church in his memory.

A church service will be held for Mr. Pajic on September 24th, 2022 at 11am at St. Luke Serbian Church in Potomac, MD followed by burial at Rock Creek Cemetery at 2pm.