Upon the death of a family member societally imposed role expectancies emerge. The participant observer method utilized in the context of a bereavement self-help group revealed not only the emergence of distinct roles but also five groups to which these roles were related. Generally, the group members and the groups themselves spanned a continuum of intimacy from the "next of kin" (family) on one extreme to the greater society at the others. This article elaborates on the composition of these five groups in early bereavement. (Author)