About Deborah Kestin van den Hoonaard Deborah Kestin van den Hoonaard grew up in New York. She obtained her Ph.D. in Sociology from Loyola University of Chicago. Dr. van den Hoonaard is an associate professor of Gerontology at St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Books by Deborah Kestin van den Hoonaard The Widowed Self The Older Woman’s Journey through Widowhood by (author) Deborah Kestin van den Hoonaard