Tatiana B. Gasic

Tatiana B. Gasic, Research Associate Emeritus of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and long-time Longview resident died on May 4th at the age of 90. She passed away at home peacefully in the presence of her family. She now walks the heavens free of pain or suffering. Tatiana Baydak Bobrinskoy was born on March 9, 1924 in Novi Sad (Kingdom of Yugoslavia) to Russian immigrants, pioneer aviator Leonid Baydak and Countess Natalia Bobrinskoy, both of whom fled the Bolsheviks for different reasons. The Bobrinskoy lineage can be traced back to the union of then dowager Empress Catherine the Great of Russia and noble favorite, Grigori Orlov. Born in 1762, he was given the name Aleksey Bobrinskoi, and later bestowed with the title of Count and vast lands. In 1941, when she was 17 years old, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was invaded and partitioned by the Axis powers, and its northern parts, including Novi Sad, were annexed by Hungary. Hungarian Police slaughtered an estimated 5,000 Novi Sad residents during World War II, and many others were resettled. Tatiana was in the middle of a war with food shortages, constant terror from the surrounding warfare, and a near brush with relocation from which she escaped while being taken to a prison camp. Her father, Leonid, joined others to fight against the Axis powers, but eventually the family had to flee the region. After the war’s end, Tatiana with her family immigrated to Chile, where she met and married Gabriel Gasic in 1953, a pioneer cancer researcher and Professor at the University of Chile in Santiago. Thus began a life-long partnership of work in cancer research, and at home to raise 3 children, Gregory, Vladimir, and Andrei. As a Research Associate in Gabriel’s lab (in Chile and then the United States), she conducted the research experiments with minimal guidance, made key observations, and oversaw the experimental work of postdoctoral fellows and visiting faculty. Over a career that spanned almost four-decades, she coauthored almost 30 research articles, and countless book chapters and meeting proceedings. All of her skills as a top-notch experimentalist were self-taught or learned as she carried out the laboratory’s experiments. In 1965, Gabriel secured a position in the Department of Pathology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, and the family permanently immigrated to the United States, where they all became US citizens. Whether accompanying her husband Gabriel at scientific meeting in exotic places, or on vacation, Tanya loved to travel and to try to understand the culture of different people. At home, Tatiana (or Tanya) was both practical and artistic. She loved to try new recipes and improvise. Her range of cuisine encompassed those that typified dishes from Chile, Russia, France, Spain, Yugoslavia, and many other countries. Her culinary skills were the highlight of many parties. At the age of 80, Gabriel retired from active research, and Tanya kept active with many activities including playing tennis. At that time, they lived close to their son Andrei, who was practicing gastroenterology at a University of Pennsylvania affiliate in Phoenixville, PA. In June of 1996, Tanya suffered a cerebral stroke related to atrial fibrillation, which left her permanently paralyzed and unable to speak any of the five languages she once knew. Shortly thereafter in 1998, Gabriel and Tanya moved to Longview, TX, where Andrei had previously joined a gastroenterology practice. In November of 2003 Gabriel died at the age of 91. Following her husband’s death Tanya continued to be as active in family functions as her condition permitted. From Novi Sad to Longview, Tanya’s journey was not always easy, but she tackled every new episode of her life with optimism, and an indomitable spirit. For these attributes, and many more, she will be remembered. Visitation will be held on Friday May 9, from 3-7 PM at Rader Funeral Home in Longview, TX. A private service follows at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the Gasic family would greatly appreciate that donations be made to Beacon Hospice or the American Heart Association.

Tatiana B. Gasic

March 9, 1924 - May 4, 2014