Ružica Popovitch-Krekić (1940-2011): A Tribute

Ružica Popovitch-Krekić was a native of Šabac, Serbia in former Yugoslavia. Born into one of the city's prominent old families, the traits that so vividly marked her character and personality were indelibly framed and nurtured there. The combination of a loving, intellectually stimulating, and supportive home environment and the sound education in Šabac's primary and middle schools provided preparation for future challenges and achievements.

Ružica's life changed dramatically in 1956 when at 16 she arrived in Washington DC, where part of her family had already relocated. She faced the full range of adjustment to language, life style, and especially assimilation into the educational system and the teenage world in an American high school. That she dealt with these effectively is evidenced in the fact that two years later, Ružica was successfully enrolled at George Washington University. When we met a year later in a Slavic literature class, she was clearly at ease in this academic environment. In fact, Ružica was thriving as a major in Russian language and literature, and she was duly recognized as an exemplary student. Intellectually curious and genuinely devoted to learning, she eagerly and fully engaged in class discourse. Her interests were broad extending well beyond Russian studies into other areas of the humanities, especially art history. The friendship we had developed grew when we enrolled in the same art history courses. Preparing for the latter, we generally took refuge in my sorority house, combining study with socializing with the other young women who were as much drawn to Ružica as I. The qualities that those who knew her in her full maturity would readily recognize were evident then-a lively intelligence, a quickness of mind and words, unbridled energy, enthusiasm, and a warmth that generated many lasting friendships.

Ružica continued her study of Russian language and literature on the graduate level at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio where she received an MA degree. Awarded a coveted fellowship, she had an opportunity to engage in another aspect of academic life, serving as a teaching assistant in the Slavic Department. I do not know much about this period except that it furthered her interest in and preparation for a multifaceted pursuit of the study of the Slavic world, past and present. Her purpose was well served when, following her graduation from Ohio State University in 1964, she accepted a position at the Library of Congress Slavic Reading Room. She rose rapidly through promotions to become the Senior Reference Librarian and Yugoslav Area Specialist. The combination of her superb academic preparation, extensive reading in many fields, professional expertise, and ease of communication on all levels made her especially effective in assisting scholars and students with their research projects. In that capacity she came into frequent contact with numerous prominent individuals-statesmen, scholars, politicians, and those in creative fields. Among them were Vasko Popa and Vladimir Dedijer. What for most would have been passing, professional encounters, in Ružica's case evolved into long-lasting friendships, local and international. During this period, she was frequently heard on Voice of America, commenting on contemporary issues concerning Yugoslavia and the Balkans as well as sharing reminiscences of Serbian traditions and her own familial experiences. In spite of the demands of a full-time position, to further refine her professional skills in a technologically changing field Ružica undertook additional graduate study, earning a Master's degree in Library Science at Catholic University.

After twenty years at the Library of Congress, Ružica moved to Los Angeles following her 1984 marriage to UCLA professor of history, Bariša Krekić. She continued in her professional work, first at the Los Angeles Public Library and then in 1985 until her 2009 retirement as Public Service Librarian at Mount Saint Mary's College. Throughout her career she was an active member of numerous professional associations including the American Library Association, American Reference Librarians, and the Association of California Research Librarians. As she had as a young girl arriving in the United States, she built a life of many friendships among...