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Washington War Widows: It's OK To Move On

War widows can be seen as a living symbol of patriotism. A reminder of the ultimate sacrifice of service.

But practically speaking, life for military widows and widowers is awash in grief, uncertainty and paperwork.

A group run by widows in Washington state has created a supportive social network to ease that burden. 

On a recent Saturday at Mima Mounds Nature Preserve near Olympia, Washington, children ran around the parking lot as adults assembled bagged lunches.

The six women on this short hike shared an unenviable bond. Their husbands died while on active duty for the military. All are members of the Washington Warrior Widows.

Amber Mena-Martini hugs her daughter, Bridget, alongside Caitlin Meyerhatchell before a hike with the Washington Warrior Widows group. Mena-Martini's first husband, Sgt. Ralph Mena Jr., May 4, 2010, died while he was serving in Tikrit, Iraq. Meyerhatchell lost her husband, Army Spc. Brandon Meyer, January 28, 2008, while he was serving in Mosul, Iraq.
Credit KUOW Photo/Daniel Berman
Amber Mena-Martini hugs her daughter, Bridget, alongside Caitlin Meyerhatchell before a hike with the Washington Warrior Widows group. Mena-Martini's first husband, Sgt. Ralph Mena Jr., May 4, 2010, died while he was serving in Tikrit, Iraq. Meyerhatchell lost her husband, Army Spc. Brandon Meyer, January 28, 2008, while he was serving in Mosul, Iraq.

Amber Mena-Martini’s husband, Ralph, killed himself during his second deployment to Iraq. She organized the trip to this nature preserve because of its mysterious origins: No one knows exactly how this prairie of giant mounds formed.

“Being a widow there are a lot of unknowns and a lot of them are scary," Mena-Martini said. "But as we move forward a lot of the unknowns become very exciting. We’re here to embrace our unknowns.” 

Once the children are out of earshot, the group's founder Stephanie Groepper explained some of the harsh reality of widowhood.

“After about a year, everyone disappears,”Groeppersaid. “Everyone says, ‘Oh you’re always part of the family, and anything you need.' Then they disappear.”

That can be especially difficult for wives who are used to living in a tight-knit military community. For children in military families, the loss of a parent can also mean the loss of a peer group and the loss of their home. 

When an active duty mom or dad dies, the family no longer qualifies for military housing. 

“They give you one year to move off post; these kids are ripped from the life that they knew,” Groepper said. “If they're put back into a civilian school, it's completely different for them.”

Groepper was 22 when her husband, Chad, was killed by small arms fire in Iraq. She was seven weeks pregnant when he deployed. Their daughter, Clarissa, was 4 months old when he was killed. She’s 7 years old now.

“She looks forward to getting together with these kids. It’s an unspoken bond. They don’t have to say, ‘I’m feeling sad,’ because they know the other kids here have experienced a similar loss,” Groepper said. 

'There's this whole stigma to being a widow,' said Washington Warrior Widows founder Stephanie Groepper, who lost her husband, Army Cpl. Chad Groepper, seven years ago. 'We can't just wear black and never move on.'
Credit KUOW Photo/Daniel Berman
'There's this whole stigma to being a widow,' said Washington Warrior Widows founder Stephanie Groepper, who lost her husband, Army Cpl. Chad Groepper, seven years ago. 'We can't just wear black and never move on.'

Groepper founded Washington Warrior Widows a year ago to help other widows and widowers move forward through social and family friendly events.

The group now has 45 adult members and 60 children.

Through Facebook, they organize moving parties and home repair jobs. They also grieve together.

Groepper said the social aspect of the group is important because it’s easy for widows to isolate themselves. They need to know it’s that it's OK to move forward. “Get out, have fun, know that it’s all right. Let the kids experience things,” Groepper said.

That’s what some of these widows have done.

Mena-Martini remarried two years after her first husband's death. Rob Martini is also in the Army.

It’s not unusual for military widows to remarry service members. It’s what they know. There’s a shared understanding of military life – and of loss.

She and her husband are expecting a baby. But even as she moves on with her new life, she said she doesn’t plan to leave the widows’ group behind. 

“There’s one island I want to kayak to this summer. Maybe just a widow kayaking trip to Hope Island,” Mena-Martini said. “Because having hope and being a widow is really important. You've got to have something to look forward to.”

That’s the challenge that these woman face -- balancing reverence for their former husbands with joy and excitement for their new lives. 

Children are a big part of the Washington Warrior Widows group. The frequent outdoor activities are a chance for the women to meet up and lend an ear to understanding friends who know what they are going through. Many have young children that come along for the hikes, becoming quick friends.
Credit KUOW Photo/Daniel Berman
Children are a big part of the Washington Warrior Widows group. The frequent outdoor activities are a chance for the women to meet up and lend an ear to understanding friends who know what they are going through. Many have young children that come along for the hikes, becoming quick friends.

Copyright 2021 KUOW. To see more, visit KUOW.

Washington Warrior Widows founder Stephanie Groepper on a hike at Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve, about 20 minutes southwest of Olympia. Across her upper back, a tattoo in memory of her late husband, Army Cpl. Chad Groepper.
KUOW Photo/Daniel Berman /
Washington Warrior Widows founder Stephanie Groepper on a hike at Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve, about 20 minutes southwest of Olympia. Across her upper back, a tattoo in memory of her late husband, Army Cpl. Chad Groepper.
Danielle Williams hugs her son, Blake, before a hike with the Washington Warrior Widows group at Mima Mounds. Her husband, Staff Sgt. Ronald Williams, died while he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan in 2012.
KUOW Photo/Daniel Berman /
Danielle Williams hugs her son, Blake, before a hike with the Washington Warrior Widows group at Mima Mounds. Her husband, Staff Sgt. Ronald Williams, died while he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan in 2012.
Left to right, Stephanie Groepper, Brian Trujillo, his mother, Catherine Trujillo Adriaansen, and Caitlin Meyerhatchell start on a half-mile hike with the Washington Warrior Widows group.
KUOW Photo/Daniel Berman /
Left to right, Stephanie Groepper, Brian Trujillo, his mother, Catherine Trujillo Adriaansen, and Caitlin Meyerhatchell start on a half-mile hike with the Washington Warrior Widows group.