She is a Living Late Widow

Late doesn’t necessarily mean “dead.”

This Civil War widow is referred to as being the “late widow” of the veteran. In this case, the reference to her as being “late” is most likely because some time after the veteran died she married again. This meant that her marital status had changed and she was no longer a widow. Usually if people are referred to as being the “late” something it means they are no longer that something.

They don’t have to be dead.