NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A digital exhibit featuring more than 200 letters between William Raymond Whittaker and Jane Dean, a couple whose romance blossomed during World War II, is now available through the Nashville Public Library. These letters provide an intimate portrayal of their relationship during a tumultuous period in history.
Discovered in a home that belonged to Jane and her siblings, the letters were donated to the Metro Nashville Archives in 2016. Whittaker, a New Rochelle, New York native, moved to Nashville to attend Meharry Medical College, where he met Jane. The couple lost contact when he was drafted into the Army in 1942 but began exchanging letters once he was stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.
Their correspondence reflects not just their affections but the uncertainties and fears brought on by war. Jane’s reply to Ray's initial letter captured the bittersweet essence of their situation, stating, “Pleasant because you will always hold a place in my heart... Sad because you are in the armed forces.”
As their relationship developed, so did the complexities of their lives, including racial and gender issues of the time, which the letters touch upon, according to Kelley Sirko, the library's archivist.
The romance intensified with Ray hinting at a proposal in his letters, leading to their marriage on November 7, 1942. Despite the joy of being wed, Jane expressed longing in her letters, stating, “It’s a wonderful thing to have such a sweet and lovely husband... but maybe this old war will soon be over and we can be together for always.”
This collection serves as both a love story and a document showcasing the realities of a soldier’s life and the societal challenges faced by the couple during one of the most significant periods in history.
Discovered in a home that belonged to Jane and her siblings, the letters were donated to the Metro Nashville Archives in 2016. Whittaker, a New Rochelle, New York native, moved to Nashville to attend Meharry Medical College, where he met Jane. The couple lost contact when he was drafted into the Army in 1942 but began exchanging letters once he was stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.
Their correspondence reflects not just their affections but the uncertainties and fears brought on by war. Jane’s reply to Ray's initial letter captured the bittersweet essence of their situation, stating, “Pleasant because you will always hold a place in my heart... Sad because you are in the armed forces.”
As their relationship developed, so did the complexities of their lives, including racial and gender issues of the time, which the letters touch upon, according to Kelley Sirko, the library's archivist.
The romance intensified with Ray hinting at a proposal in his letters, leading to their marriage on November 7, 1942. Despite the joy of being wed, Jane expressed longing in her letters, stating, “It’s a wonderful thing to have such a sweet and lovely husband... but maybe this old war will soon be over and we can be together for always.”
This collection serves as both a love story and a document showcasing the realities of a soldier’s life and the societal challenges faced by the couple during one of the most significant periods in history.
