Justine Warner Wells

Longtime Northville resident Justine Warner Wells died June 23 at her home after a brief illness. She was 91. 

She was born Oct. 18, 1923, in Eastport to Edith (Dixon) and Daniel D. Warner. She married Kenneth L. Wells Aug. 16, 1941, in Northville.

After the death of two of her sons, Justine went back to college and graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1978 and in 1982 with a Master of Arts in liberal studies. She took a job as Riverhead Town historian, which she held for 19 years. She also worked at Central Suffolk Hospital (now Peconic Bay Medical Center) for 15 years as a switchboard operator, as a bus driver for six years with Riverhead Central School District and for Riverhead Free Library at the front desk.

Justine was a member of Old Steeple Community Church in Aquebogue, a member of Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead, a volunteer cook for Maureen’s Haven and a Suffolk County Historical Society member.

Justine enjoyed researching family genealogy and working her family biography, traveling with her husband (including two cross-country RV trips), sailing on Peconic Bay and working on New York Times crossword puzzles.

Justine was predeceased by her son Kent in 1969; her son Scott in 1967; her husband, Kenneth, in 2002, her sister Judith Tuttle in 2012; and her brothers, Bruce, Kenneth, Glenn and Dixon Warner.

She is survived by her sons Mark, of Greenwich, N.Y., and Lyle and Brett, both of Northville; her sister Joyce Kelley of Eastport; her sisters-in-law, Pauline, of Greenwich, N.Y., Margaret Groening of Phoenixville, Pa., and Susan, of Riverhead; her granddaughters, Christie Sobol of Rochester, N.Y., Esther Wells Carroll of East Patchogue and Jessica deVera of New York City; and her grandsons, Matthew, of New York City, and Logan, of Riverhead.

The family will receive visitors for a memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at Old Steeple Community Church in Aquebogue.

Memorial donations may be made to Long Island Council of Churches, Maureen’s Haven, Hallockville Museum Farm or a charity of the donor’s choosing.

Arrangements were in the care of Reginald H. Tuthill Funeral Home in Riverhead.

This is a paid notice.