Ernest L. Albee of New Suffolk died Sept. 28 at home. He was 65.
Born June 11, 1961, in Plattsburgh, New York, he later moved to Long Island with his mother, Judith Lee Hallock, and his younger brother, David, first to Commack and then to Laurel, where he began first grade at Laurel School. He attended Mattituck-Cutchogue High School and graduated in 1978.
After graduation, he hitchhiked to California and back before attending Suffolk County Community College, where he discovered a love of reading that he pursued for the rest of his life. A fan of history and historical fiction, he especially enjoyed the Outlander series. His family and friends described him as meticulous and methodical.
He worked over the years in construction and renovation, as a machinist, a boat builder, a handyman, and as the owner of a tanning salon. For about the last 10 years, he worked at Ace Hardware in Southold, where he was responsible for final assembly of barbecue sets, wheelbarrows and other items sold at the store. His mother said the job, with its independent workspace in the store’s basement, was well-suited to his disciplined work habits and love of working with his hands.
He married Darby Moore in 2009, and the couple enjoyed hiking and camping, as well as frequent trips to parks in upstate New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maine, with Acadia National Park among his favorites. He also enjoyed gardening, leatherworking, and target and skeet shooting, and was a Deadhead.
He is survived by his wife, Darby Moore; his mother, Judith Hallock of Coram; his daughter, Kayla Albee of Nashville, Tennessee; and his brother, David Hallock of Farmingville.
A celebration of life ceremony will be held Sunday, Nov. 15, from 3 to 5 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Mattituck.
