Home Obituaries Justine Warner Wells, 91

Justine Warner Wells, 91

Justine Warner Wells, longtime Riverhead town historian, died June 23 at her home in Northville after a brief illness. She was 91 years old.

2015_0629_wells_justineBorn on October 18, 1923 in Eastport, she was the daughter of Daniel D. Warner and Edith Dixon Warner. She married her husband, Kenneth Wells, on August 16, 1941 in Northville. Together they had five sons. The pair enjoyed travel, making two cross country trips in their RV.

After her the death of two of her sons, Wells returned to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies in 1978 and a master’s degree in fine arts in 1982, both from Stony Brook University.

After earning her degrees, she worked as Riverhead’s town historian for 19 years. Previous employment included working as a switchboard operator for Central Suffolk Hospital for 15 years, a bus driver for Riverhead Central School District for six years and at the front desk at the Riverhead Free Library.

Her hobbies were varied, and included genealogy, travel, sailing, volunteering as a cook for Maureen’s Haven and doing the New York Times crossword puzzle. She was a member of Old Steeple Community Church, the Suffolk County Historical Society and Hallockville Museum Farm.

Wells was predeceased by her husband, Kenneth, in 2002; her sons, Kent and Scott; her sister, Judith Tuttle and her brothers, Bruce, Kenneth, Glenn and Dixon.

She is survived by her sons, Mark of Greenwich, Lyle of Northville and Brett of Northville; sister Joyce Kelley of Eastport; sisters-in-law Pauline Wells of Greenwich, Margaret Groening of Pennsylvania and Susan Wells of Riverhead; and by her grandchildren, Christie Sobol of Rochester, Esther Wells Carroll of East Patchogue, Jessica deVora of New York City, Matthew Wells of New York City and Logan Wells of Riverhead. She also leaves behind three great-grandchildren.

Her family remembers her as a “mentor and friend to many,” saying she was there for those who “needed a helping hand or shoulder to lean on.”

A memorial service will be held on July 18 at 2 p.m. at Old Steeple Community Church in Aquebogue. Memorial donations may be made to the Long Island Council of Churches, Maureen’s Haven, Hallockville Museum Farm or a charity of choice.

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