Ljiljana Dusana Stanojevic

Ljiljana Dusana Stanojevic - raconteur, contrarian, lover and fighter - permanently escaped the summer heat on Saturday, August 26, 2023, after a long illness and brief hospitalization. Ljiljana's enthusiasm for art, literature, history, justice, politics, road trips, and strong opinions was a gift and a challenge to her compatriots. She excelled at entertaining, connecting people, and boldly accessorizing a kaftan. Her infectious laughter, brilliant wit, and thirst for madcap adventures will be dearly missed by all who were lucky enough to know her. The parents of Greenwood Elementary are cautioned that they still do not have permission to block her driveway during school pickup.

Seattle was founded on November 13, 1851, but it took 118 more years until it was worthy of sharing its birthday with the inimitable force that was Ljiljana, Ljilja, or just plain Lil. She was born in New York state, the only child of a New England WASP and a Slavic freedom fighter, and the duality of her heritage was to become a lifelong source of inspiration, frustration, and humor. Ljilja's family emigrated to Serbia where she began elementary school but they returned to the US a few years later and she attended Barge-Lincoln Elementary in her reluctantly adopted hometown of Yakima, WA. She then attended Eisenhower High School, where she graduated with honors. She went back to New York to attend Columbia University, earning a degree in metallurgic engineering, before teaching English in Korea and spending time in Russia with her father. But, behind the Flannel Curtain was where she truly belonged and she soon returned to the Northwest to became a permanent resident of Seattle and permanent thorn in the side of local policy makers.

Ever the philomath, Ljiljana also earned a dual graduate degree in Classics and Materials Science at University of Washington. She then joined a little book selling startup called Amazon, where she instigated the earliest efforts to organize its work force and subvert its infamous CEO. Later, she would work as a realtor sharing her love of the Northwest and listening to 50 Cent with her many clients who became friends.

Ljiljana married Carlos Peñuela in 2005, and together they produced the love of her life, their daughter Milena. Ljilja approached motherhood in the same way she approached everything - with warmth, humor, and curiosity. She delighted in the antics of "Miltot" but remained fully engaged with her favorite causes: Human rights, public education, and Hollywood's mistreatment of Ethel Merman. Whether she was tirelessly organizing support for teachers on strike or campaigning against the greed of health insurance companies, she was passionate and relentless.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, decades of fighting against injustice and the general malaise of life in contemporary America took a toll on Ljilja's mental and physical health. She endured a number of interventions designed to cure her of the desire to confront hypocrisy, speak truth to power, and lead high-speed chases. These attempts did not succeed, however, and she remained incorrigible to the end. She also approached the diagnosis of a terminal lung disease with her unique blend of pragmatism and optimism and she was stubbornly resisting until her last day.

At her very best, Ljilja could be counted on to turn the mundane into the magical. She loved the pellet ice served in drinks at Taco Time, hosting garden parties for trivial reasons, laughing at online cat videos, and marveling at the angular perfection (but not politics) of Calista Gingrich's meticulous platinum bob. She felt as strongly about the confessions of St. Augustine as she did about the scandals of Project Runway. Her eloquence and dizzying breadth of knowledge were unparalleled but never pretentious. She was sometimes self-destructive, frequently exasperating, but always quick-witted and authentically hilarious.

Ljilja was comforted by her recent Baptism into the Orthodox Church. She was preceded in death by her beloved father, Dusan, all of her grandparents, her precious feline companion, Posey, and (to her immense satisfaction) Slobodan Milosevic. She is survived by her mother, Melinda, her daughter, Milena, maternal aunts Marsha, Lauchlan, and Langdon, extended family, countless political enemies, and a cabal of devoted friends.

A heartfelt thank you is extended on Ljilja's behalf to most of the staff of the Swedish First Hill ICU, whose skill and patience were a gift during her final days. Sincere gratitude is also offered to Rev. Fr. James Kumarelas of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church for his generous gifts of time, ministry, and handsomeness.

In lieu of flowers, Ljiljana's partisans humbly request that you pet a cat, hug your friends, and contact a politician to give them a piece of your mind. Donations to The LAM Foundation in her honor would also be most appreciated: https://give.thelamfoundation.org

A raucous celebration of life will be hosted by her friends in Seattle on Saturday, October 7th, from 6-9 PM. Details to be provided; kaftans to be mandatory.