Love Letters from WWII: A Historical Treasure Discovered in Nashville

Thu Feb 12 2026 00:53:49 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A collection of over 200 love letters exchanged between a couple during World War II has been digitized by the Nashville Public Library, providing a poignant glimpse into their lives amidst the turmoil of war.

A heartfelt trove of love letters between William Raymond Whittaker and Jane Dean, found in Nashville, has been digitized and made available to the public by the Nashville Public Library. These letters, spanning their courtship during World War II, reveal the participants' struggles with love, uncertainty, and racial issues at a time of drastic change. Despite no known living relatives, the letters and accompanying artifacts contribute greatly to the understanding of personal relationships during wartime.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A remarkable collection of over 200 love letters exchanged between William Raymond Whittaker and Jane Dean during World War II has been digitized and made accessible online by the Nashville Public Library. This intimate correspondence offers a stirring portrait of love against a backdrop of conflict.

The letters were discovered in a Nashville home belonging to Jane and her siblings and were donated to the Metro Nashville Archives in 2016. Whittaker, known as Ray, originally hails from New Rochelle, New York, and moved to Nashville to study at the historically Black Meharry Medical College, where he met Jane.

After losing touch, Ray was drafted into the Army in 1942 and stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona. It was then that he reached out to Jane, who was working as a medical lab technician at Vanderbilt University at the time.

A ‘pleasant and sad surprise’

While the library lacks Ray's initial letter to Jane, her reply expresses mixed emotions: “It sure was a pleasant and sad surprise to hear from you,” she wrote in July 1942, reflecting on the anxiety of his military service against the joy of reconnecting. She encourages him to reach out again soon, signing off with “Lovingly Jane.”

Letters Reveal More Than Love

The letters, which provide a window into their relationship and the societal issues of the time, have drawn praise from archivists. They highlight not just personal emotions but also the wider context of social challenges that the couple faced.

As their correspondence unfolds, Ray, stationed at Fort McClellan in Alabama, hints at possible marriage. “I might even ask you to marry me. One never knows,” he jokes. However, Jane remains cautious about his feelings, expressing skepticism that their romantic sentiments would remain strong under stress.

From Letters to Marriage

Ultimately, Ray's affections win Jane over. The couple married on November 7, 1942, in Birmingham, although they soon had to separate again due to military obligations. Jane's following letter to him captures her joy yet sadness: “It’s a wonderful thing to have such a sweet and lovely husband. Darling you’ll never know how much I love you.”

This collection not only tells the story of a love that thrived during tumultuous times but also serves as a memorial to the lives of two individuals deeply affected by the circumstances of their era.