Scenario 2:  I would co-own the property with the widow, explore crowdfunding the property or find angel investors.  

The upper right widow cant have shutters. 

VA loans, or in this case, Patriot Express Loans and Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loans, are actually loan guarantees made available from the Small Business Administration to veterans or soldiers or their wives or widows who are going off to serve in the military or who have returned from their military service.

The rest is just widow dressing.

The latter may be your best bet, since this involves family... not only the widow/widower but other family members who may have an interest in how you proceed.

It started as a partnership and to make a long story short, she's now a widow and the sole owner of a small convenience store.

Bought my HI house in 2005, started renting it out in 2011, but the tenants and home were zero maintenance so I have very little actual landlording experience.Recently widowed, 4 young children, 1 young Newfoundland puppy, 2 helpful but sometimes contankerous parents.Educational background in business and engineering (the ocean kind), currently teaching at VMI..where there is no ocean.

Just don’t tell a new widow their house is worth $100k when it’s really worth $150k and she could really use the money to pay for the funeral service like I’ve personally seen.

They do make SOME noise, but of course, nowhere near what a widow unit does. 

So the partner would maintain their share and the widow would only be able to lay claim to her portion, assuming other heirs aren't involved.