Obituary for Justine Marie Wilbur
Justine Marie Wilbur passed away unexpectedly at her home in Sheffield, MA with her three beautiful children – Alex, Zoe and Marek – on Tuesday March 12, 2019.
Justine was born in Landstuhl, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany on Feb 8, 1978 to Terri (Bills) Wilbur and Steven Wilbur.
Justine was a precocious child, always interested in everything around her. She was a very strong willed, strong minded young girl who became a confident, strong, successful woman. She held herself to very high standards and excelled in all she attempted.
Justine graduated from Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton, MA in 1996; she graduated from Boston College in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry; received her Master of Science in Chemistry, summa cum laude in 2004 from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell (while working full time); and her Juris Doctorate in Intellectual Property Law from Suffolk University Law School in 2007.
Justine married Luke Karpinski in 2002 while the two were still working on their degrees. The couple began their respective careers in Virginia in 2007…. Justine as a patent attorney and Luke as a patent examiner. Their amazing twins, Alex and Zoe, were born in 2011 in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Now with children, the couple decided they wanted to be closer to family and moved back to Massachusetts living in the Boston area. Although Justine enjoyed her work, she really wanted to raise her children the way she was raised, in a small town with just the right mix of educational opportunities for her children, adventures for all, and a tight family connection. After the birth of their beautiful son Marek in 2015, they decided to move back to Berkshire County. In 2017 Justine began working for the Albany law firm of Hoffman Warnick. It was there that she found her place as a well-respected, accomplished patent attorney and “a true friend to everyone in our firm”. The life they built was, in Justine’s eyes, the beginning of a wonderful adventure with family and friends.
My daughter was a beautiful, talented, passionate woman. She was a devoted mother to our three fantastic grandchildren and truly had just begun to live the life of her dreams.
Justine is survived by her mother Terri Wilbur and step-dad Tony Vallone of Lanesboro, MA; her sister Kristin Wilbur of Manchester, NH(and her wife Lexi Gallagher and son Ben); her step-brother Nick Vallone of Madison, WI; her maternal aunt Pat Hathaway of Dalton, MA; her maternal uncle Chuck Bills of Petaluma, CA (and his wife Dianne); her paternal aunt Jean Wilbur of Dalton, MA; her paternal uncle Rick Wilbur of Bethlehem, PA (and his wife Vickie); as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Justine was predeceased by her father Steve Wilbur; her maternal grandparents Laura and Ed Bills; her paternal grandparents Lois and Don Wilbur; and her maternal uncle Bob Hathaway.
FUNERAL NOTICE: Calling hours for Justine Wilbur will be held SATURDAY, April 27, 2019 from 11:00am to 2:00pm at ST. AGNES CHURCH in DALTON. There will be a prayer service held at the church at 2:00pm. Burial will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to The Berkshire County Kids’ Place in care of DERY FUNERAL HOME, 54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.
Justine was born in Landstuhl, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany on Feb 8, 1978 to Terri (Bills) Wilbur and Steven Wilbur.
Justine was a precocious child, always interested in everything around her. She was a very strong willed, strong minded young girl who became a confident, strong, successful woman. She held herself to very high standards and excelled in all she attempted.
Justine graduated from Wahconah Regional High School in Dalton, MA in 1996; she graduated from Boston College in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry; received her Master of Science in Chemistry, summa cum laude in 2004 from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell (while working full time); and her Juris Doctorate in Intellectual Property Law from Suffolk University Law School in 2007.
Justine married Luke Karpinski in 2002 while the two were still working on their degrees. The couple began their respective careers in Virginia in 2007…. Justine as a patent attorney and Luke as a patent examiner. Their amazing twins, Alex and Zoe, were born in 2011 in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Now with children, the couple decided they wanted to be closer to family and moved back to Massachusetts living in the Boston area. Although Justine enjoyed her work, she really wanted to raise her children the way she was raised, in a small town with just the right mix of educational opportunities for her children, adventures for all, and a tight family connection. After the birth of their beautiful son Marek in 2015, they decided to move back to Berkshire County. In 2017 Justine began working for the Albany law firm of Hoffman Warnick. It was there that she found her place as a well-respected, accomplished patent attorney and “a true friend to everyone in our firm”. The life they built was, in Justine’s eyes, the beginning of a wonderful adventure with family and friends.
My daughter was a beautiful, talented, passionate woman. She was a devoted mother to our three fantastic grandchildren and truly had just begun to live the life of her dreams.
Justine is survived by her mother Terri Wilbur and step-dad Tony Vallone of Lanesboro, MA; her sister Kristin Wilbur of Manchester, NH(and her wife Lexi Gallagher and son Ben); her step-brother Nick Vallone of Madison, WI; her maternal aunt Pat Hathaway of Dalton, MA; her maternal uncle Chuck Bills of Petaluma, CA (and his wife Dianne); her paternal aunt Jean Wilbur of Dalton, MA; her paternal uncle Rick Wilbur of Bethlehem, PA (and his wife Vickie); as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Justine was predeceased by her father Steve Wilbur; her maternal grandparents Laura and Ed Bills; her paternal grandparents Lois and Don Wilbur; and her maternal uncle Bob Hathaway.
FUNERAL NOTICE: Calling hours for Justine Wilbur will be held SATURDAY, April 27, 2019 from 11:00am to 2:00pm at ST. AGNES CHURCH in DALTON. There will be a prayer service held at the church at 2:00pm. Burial will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to The Berkshire County Kids’ Place in care of DERY FUNERAL HOME, 54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.