Diipali

Deborah Peters Barrett, N.D. known also by her Sanskrit name, Diipali, died on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005, at her home in Portland. She was 53 years old and had been a local naturopathic physician, educator and a Portland resident for the past 20 years.

Diipali was born in Durham, N.C., and raised in Chapel Hill, where both of her parents were physicians and medical educators at the University of North Carolina. She moved with her family to La Jolla, Calif., prior to her senior year of high school and attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, completing a double major in chemistry and biology. After college she worked for several years in Los Angeles as a chemist and became involved in Ananda Marga, which played a significant role in her consciousness for the rest of her life.

She lived for some time in Washington, D.C., where she helped publish a social activist newspaper and became interested in health food cooperatives. She then moved to New Haven, Ct., to manage a food cooperative. In 1985, Diipali enrolled at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) in Portland. She earned her doctorate in 1990 and, following a residency in natural childbirth, had a private practice and served as a clinic physician with Planned Parenthood, before returning to the College to teach. Diipali served as an NCNM faculty member for more than 10 years. She also served as Chair of the NCNM Faculty Senate for four years. NCNM students repeatedly nominated her for faculty appreciation awards, including Docere, Leadership, Benedict Lust, Transformation, and Helping Hand, and she was a recipient of the Tender Heart Award. She was active in many community organizations and volunteered at Franklin High School and Mt. Tabor Middle school.

Diipali has been a strong, independent-minded, compassionate person and cared deeply for her children and family as well as her friends and community. She has always shown a brilliance of energy, a vast “collection of light” as her Sanskrit name, Diipali, means. She was constantly and passionately devoted to improving the world and fighting for the rights of the less fortunate. Diipali is survived by her husband, Richard Barrett, N.D.; her sons, Harper Barrett, 17, and Alec Barrett, 13; her father, Richard M. Peters, M.D. of Palo Alto, Calif.; two sisters, Barbara Peters, M.D. of Palo Alto, and Joan Peters of Menlo Park, Calif.; and a brother, Richard M. Peters, Jr., M.D. of San Diego, Calif.

A service in honor of her life and the light that she shared with the ommunity will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine Great Hall (049 SW Porter St).
In recognition of her dedication to education and the pursuit of knowledge, a scholarship fund has been established in Dr. Diipali Barrett’s honor. Contact Susan Hunter (or 503-552-1512) for more information.