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Justine Warner Wells of Northville died at her home on June 23. She was 91.
Born on October 18, 1923, in Eastport, she was the daughter of Daniel D. and Edith (Dixon) Warner. On August 16, 1941 she married Kenneth L. Wells, who predeceased her. She earned her bachelor’s degree in 1978 and, after the death of two sons, went back to Stony Brook University to get a master’s degree in fine arts, after which she was hired as the Riverhead Town historian, a post she held for 19 years. She had also worked as a switchboard operator at Central Suffolk Hospital, a bus driver for Riverhead Central School District, and at the Riverhead Free Library’s front desk.
She spent time working on the family genealogy and her biography, traveling across the country with her husband in their RV and sailing on the Peconic. She was a member of the Old Steeple Community Church, the Suffolk County Historical Society, and the Hallockville Farm and Museum and volunteered as a cook for Maureen’s Haven.
Survivors describe her as a friend to many who needed a helping hand or shoulder to lean on.
Ms. Wells is survived by three sons, Mark of Greenwich, Lyle and Brett of Northville; a sister, Joyce Kelley of Eastport; three sisters-in-law, Pauline Wells, Margaret Groening and Susan Wells; five grandchildren, Christine Sobol of Rochester, Esther Wells Carroll of East Patchogue, Jessica deVera of New York City, Matthew Wells of New York City and Logan Wells of Riverhead; and three great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband and two sons, Ken and Scott, who died in 2002, 1969 and 1967, respectively, she was also predeceased by a sister, Judith Tuttle; and four brothers, Bruce, Kenneth, Glenn and Dixon Warner.
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, July 18, at 2 p.m. at the Old Steeple Community Church in Aquebogue. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead.
Memorial donations may be made to the Long Island Council of Churches, www.liccdonate.org; Maureen’s Haven, www.maureenshaven.org; Hallockville Farm and Museum, www.hallockville.com/donate; or a charity of choice.
on Jun 30, 2015