Doreen Dieckhoff Warner of Hampton Bays Dies July 27

Doreen Dieckhoff Warner of Hampton Bays died on July 27 in Morehead City, North Carolina, following a battle with lung disease. She was 77.

She was born on September 30, 1944, and grew up in Hampton Bays, the only child of Frederick and Merril Dieckhoff.

Her father was one of eight children and started working before his 13th birthday to help support his family. By the time his daughter was in elementary school, he had become a prominent business owner — he owned Town Garage in Hampton Bays — and loved doting on his daughter, whom he liked to call “Button.”

After graduating from Hampton Bays High School, she went to Ryder College in New Jersey, earning an associate’s degree in business. In 1963, she married her first husband, Robert G. Eisenbach, with whom she shared two children, Katherine and Robert Fredrick.

In 1969, Doreen moved to Southampton with her two young children. She became the prototypical single mother, who worked several jobs while taking a keen interest in her kids’ education. She was a product of the 1960s, who marched in Washington, D.C., for civil rights and against the Vietnam war.

She created astrology charts for her friends and took her kids to gospel churches. She drove a baby blue Mustang convertible with mufflers so loud you could hear her coming from a mile away. She blared “A Chorus Line” on the stereo and played “Man of La Mancha” nonstop on her 8-track tape deck. She loved marching bands and brass sections. And her pot roast was legendary, which she served with flat egg noodles and gravy.

In 1974, she met the love of her life, Harvey James (Jim/Jimmy) Warner. Three years later, they were married and packing their bags for Fairhope, Alabama, where he had been transferred with AT&T. There, she enrolled in courses to earn a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She graduated summa cum laude with a perfect 4.0 GPA from Troy State University, where she was valedictorian of her graduating class.

Upon Jim’s retirement, they sold their worldly possessions in Alabama and moved aboard their 30-foot sloop, Polaris. They set sail from Mobile Bay and headed for the small coastal town of Beaufort, North Carolina, with plans to open a bookstore. But not without stopping in Key West. The couple had so much fun exploring the island city that their one-week sojourn stretched into a six-month residency. It was an open question whether they would make it to Beaufort at all, but they finally did in early 1992.

They continued to live aboard Polaris while they readied their new business for its grand opening. Then, on March 15, 1993, Scuttlebutt Nautical Books & Bounty was born. Over the years, Scuttlebutt became a Beaufort institution, as did the couple, and their bookstore became a favorite destination for so many.

Recently, she made the difficult decision to retire as her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) made running the store far too challenging. The Scuttlebutt retirement sale started on July 21, 2022, and she died just six days later.

She never stopped living life, her way, her family said, noting that though small in stature, she was a true force of nature. And while the disease she fought bravely for so long left her body frail and diminished, her spirit was unbroken and undeterred until the very end, they said. She was a true New Yorker who loved living in the South. She was also a foodie who loved to cook and experiment with new recipes. When her sweet tooth kicked in, she turned to German gummy bears and key Lime pie.

She remains in the hearts and minds of many, her family said, just as thoughts of the sea linger long after footprints in the sand are gone.

She was predeceased by her husband in 2014. She is survived by her two children, Katherine and Robert; her two stepchildren, Laura and Douglas; her grandchildren, Jules, Casey, and D.J.; and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial and celebration of life are being planned for 2 p.m. on October 15 at Queen Anne’s Revenge in Beaufort.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a memorial gift/donation be made to the Beaufort Historical Association, 150 Turner Street in Beaufort, NC (beauforthistoricsite.org).