Weekly Connections with Brian Lafontaine July 27, 2025
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I am beyond thrilled to share some wonderful news: Widow’s Den now has a home. Thanks to the heartfelt generosity of Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home and Cremation Center, we now gather at their beautiful Life Tribute Center, a warm and welcoming space where we can connect, heal, and support one another in the aftermath of loss.
As some of you know, I founded Widow’s Den out of my own personal heartbreak. When I suddenly lost my husband, I was plunged into overwhelming grief and unexpected financial turmoil. On the very day of his funeral, my car was repossessed, and my home was in foreclosure—devastating realities that blindsided me. I felt utterly alone, uncertain, and overwhelmed.
While I had education, entrepreneurial experience, and a deep love for my young son, nothing could have fully prepared me for the road ahead. Yet it was in that dark season that I found a new sense of purpose. I knew I couldn’t be the only one facing the emotional and practical chaos that often comes with loss. That realization led me to create Widow’s Den, a place where widows can gather, share their stories, and support each other through life’s most painful transitions.
The Final Chapter:
Out of this journey also came The Final Chapter, a book I wrote to provide families with a compassionate guide through grief, legacy planning, and those often-uncomfortable conversations around end-of-life matters. The Final Chapter is more than a book—it’s a peace-filled resource designed to open doors to dialogue, answer pressing questions, and help people feel a little less lost when life takes a sudden turn. It’s a guidebook through the “before and after” of life and death, and a tool to help others navigate their own final chapters with clarity, dignity, and support.
Thanks to our new meeting space at Raymer-Kepner’s Life Tribute Center, Widow’s Den now has a physical home where we can continue this mission. It’s a safe, beautiful environment where we gather monthly and weekly to talk, listen, share, and grow. In this sacred space, women and families are reminded that they are not alone—and that their pain, questions, and hope for the future are all welcome.
This partnership with Raymer-Kepner means more than just a venue. It’s a symbol of community collaboration and compassion—a reflection of our shared belief that no one should walk the path of grief by themselves.
To anyone navigating the loss or supporting someone who is: Widow’s Den is here for you. Together, we turn the page. Together, we begin again.
Monica Lucia is the Author of The Final Chapter and a passionate advocate for those navigating grief and loss. She is the Founder of Widow’s Den and Sisterhood of LKN, dedicated to supporting families In addition to her writing and community-building work, Monica is the Grief and Bereavement Counselor at Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, Huntersville and Denver.
Read More from Monica and Widow’s Den
Monica Lucia is the Author of The Final Chapter and a passionate advocate for those navigating grief and loss. She is the Founder of Widow’s Den and Sisterhood of LKN, dedicated to supporting families In addition to her writing and community-building work, Monica is the Grief and Bereavement Counselor at Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, Huntersville and Denver.
