Our Team
The Widowed Friends Team is dedicated to supporting, nurturing and making a positive difference in the lives of widows and widowers

Stephanie Etherington
Stephanie is the Founder of Widowed Friends. Widowed in 2013, she has dedicated her own experience to improving the lives of widows and widowers.
Her experience is in leadership and advocacy acquired as both Manager and later Executive Director of the Learning Disabilities Association of Halton (LDAH), She has been a strong advocate for the special learning needs of children both in education and community social programs. She was also a board member of Burlington Community Living and member of the Special Education Advisory Committee. Stephanie was an active volunteer in her community with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, VON – Senior Visit Program and Burlington Humane Society.
Stephanie’s role at Widowed Friends is to provide leadership in the community’s development so all widows and widowers regain a sense of happiness and purpose.
Penny Ryan
Penny is our Events Administrator and a widow since 2006. She plays a pivotal role in the processing and registration of memberships along with connecting new members to WF’s programs and events. She facilitates and co-ordinates monthly events for members, both in-person and virtually.
Penny was the co-organizer and managed a community drop-in program for preschoolers and their mothers in Dorval, Quebec. She brings organizational and event management skills to Widowed Friends along with her commitment to supporting the widowed community.


Lesley Morris
Lesley is the Communications and Public Relations Liaison. She was widowed in 2012. She is an experienced content marketer and copywriter with a strong background in both corporate and non-profit organizations.
Focused on creating content for blogs, websites, articles and more, Lesley brings her experience to Widowed Friends managing the organization’s website, marketing communications and strategic partner relationships.
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What’s one thing you’ve learned from this group that has made a positive impact on your life?








