Inverness resident Barbara Dewey, a longtime president of the Inverness Public Utility District who helped thwart North Marin Water District’s attempt to take over Inverness’ water system, died at home Saturday, April 2, of complications from colon cancer. She was 81.

Politically active in liberal Democratic politics before moving from Berkeley to West Marin, Ms. Dewey was a 17-year veteran of the IPUD board of directors. Known for her ability to see all sides of an issue, she advocated paying staff as much as possible, yet concerned herself with the impact on the customer, recalled current IPUD General Manager, Kaaren Gann.

Through her leadership, Ms. Dewey successfully persuaded more than 70 percent of voters to make Inverness a nuclear free zone.

Successfully fought for IPUD’s independence

During the development of the Inverness Library and the Jack Mason Museum, Ms. Dewey served as president of the Inverness Association and its nonprofit Inverness Foundation. For a number of years she was editor of the Bagpiper community newsletter.

Also an author, she wrote three books which she self-published including the titles, As You Believe, and The Creating Cosmos. In her examination of human consciousness, "she believed each of us is creating our own reality," noted her daughter, Catherine Federico.

In mid-life Ms. Dewey began developing her intuitive abilities and enrolled in the Berkeley Psychic Institute, graduating as an ordained minister from the school’s Church of Divine Man. She attracted a large following of clients who traveled to Inverness for psychic readings and healings, family members noted.

Barbara Dewey was born in Los Angeles on Dec. 21, 1923. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she and her brother were raised by their father near Greenwich, Connecticut. She attended Greenwich High School, where she excelled in nearly everything. As head of the school newspaper, she became Truman Capote’s first editor. The future novelist was also a student there.

She graduated from Smith College in 1946 and married Robert Henry Wehrman, the first of her three husbands, who was a student at Brown University.

After their divorce, Ms. Dewey moved to Berkeley, where her mother’s relatives lived. She became active in Democratic politics, married her second husband, Lionel Jay Whitnah, and worked for a time as a real estate agent. Her marriage to Mr. Whitnah ended in divorce, as did a third marriage.

Authored and published several books.

In 1977 she moved into a house in Inverness, which an aunt had started building, and which Ms. Dewey completed. She soon immersed herself in local issues, joining the Pelican Alliance, an anti-nuclear committee. She also worked with the county to help improve Chicken Ranch Beach.

A halo of snow-white curly hair and a favorite dusty-pink sweater belied her occasional irascibility. Ms. Dewey seemed to enjoy a good fight. "She was a bit of a devil," Gann said with a laugh.

As her health went into decline during the past year, "She was very positive about death," said her brother, Ned Dewey. Generous with her children and grandchildren, in her later years she was wonderfully happy, said her daughter, Catherine Federico.

"She absolutely loved her garden," added her daughter, which had a "tinkly, fairylike quality."

A memorial service will be announced.