Barbara Ann Ivacek, 55, Was Vineyard Astrologer

Barbara Ivacek, beloved Island astrologer, bike path enthusiast and lover of chocolate cake, New York Times crossword puzzles and Sandy's fried clams, died after a brief battle with a swiftly moving cancer on August 23 in Vancouver, B.C., surrounded by loved ones. She was 55 years old.

Born Barbara Ann Evasick in New Haven, Conn., on Jan. 20, 1950, she was the second of five children of Robert Evasick and Mary Malarkey Evasick, both of whom predeceased her. Barbara grew up in Hamden and Milford, Conn., and upon her graduation from high school she started the family tradition of being named class individual, a title she certainly lived up to.

Barbara's life journey, like Barbara herself, was anything but ordinary.

As a young woman in search of her path, she dabbled in many careers including modeling, dog grooming and matchmaking at a dating service. In 1977, Barbara moved to Oak Bluffs with her sister, Anne, after they had visited and fallen in love with the Island. During her early years here, she worked as a waitress at the bowling alley and Blazing Salads restaurants, was a home health aide through the council on aging and worked for the Department of Mental Health.

After earning a degree from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting, Barbara became one of the first voices heard on the Island radio station WMVY, as host of a talk show. During these years she also completed an individualized degree program through Goddard College that integrated psychology, dreamwork and writing, and she wrote much of the material for her book of poetry, In 1990 I'll be 40, which was published in 1984.

In addition, she began the study of astrology during these years, a passion and a calling that allowed her to channel her natural gifts of communication, compassion, wisdom, intelligence and humor to help people gain insight into themselves and to gently guide them in their lives. For Barbara, this led to a fulfilling career and a highly successful international practice serving thousands of clients.

Barbara had great enthusiasm for life and for travel. Not content to stay in any one place for long, she had a hunger to see the world and to experience as many different cultures and places of wild, natural beauty as possible. In 1983 she left the Vineyard to move west, to places that had always held enchantment for her. Over the next 22 years she lived in Port Townsend, Wash., Ashland, Ore., Santa Fe, N.M., St. George, Utah, Prescott, Flagstaff and Sedona, Ariz., Whitefish, Mont., and Vancouver, B.C. She also had a strong connection to Hawaii, where she attended and later helped manage a healing retreat rooted in native traditions. Among all these travels, however, the Vineyard still beckoned and Barbara returned frequently for extended visits. If not for her illness, she would have been here this summer.

Barbara was also an avid international traveler, having toured Europe, India, Nepal and much of Central and South America. One place of special connection for her was Peru, where she was on the staff of the Willka-t'ika retreat center. There, she gave astrological readings and often made the climb to the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu.

Barbara had deep respect for the indigenous peoples of the world, their traditions and their wisdom, which led her to study with a Peruvian shaman and also to participate in yearly retreats to study Native American spiritual traditions with her teacher, Hyemeyohsts Storm. After progressing to a certain point in the teachings, she was given the name Nighthorse, a reflection of her beauty, strength, insight and independent spirit.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Michael Smith of Vancouver; two step-daughters, Mira and Lyra Smith; sisters Anne Evasick of West Tisbury and Mary Lou Marks of Big Sandy, Tenn.; brothers Peter Evasick of Marrowstone Island, Wash., and Paul Evasick of East Greenwich, R.I.; several nieces and nephews, and many dear and cherished friends.

A memorial service and celebration of Barbara's life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. Friends will be invited to speak about Barbara and their memories of her.

In lieu of flowers, and in honor of Barbara's request that people work to heal the planet environmentally and politically, the family suggests that contributions be made to www.moveon.org or any chosen environmental organization.