PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Anita Fletcher considers her mom her best friend, even six years after her passing.
She recalls how her mother, Audrey Whitney, grew up glued to her two sisters' hips. The three, one of whom is still alive at the age of 97, always prioritized their family.
Fletcher described Whitney as a "no-nonsense" type of woman who always woke her children up early on Saturdays to clean no matter what. However, Whitney's tough demeanor also had a generous side as she collected furniture as a young girl to give out to those who couldn't afford it during the Great Depression.
Fletcher always admired her mother, especially as she became a single, hardworking mom herself in Portsmouth. She said in the last few years of Whitney's life, she developed Alzheimer's and symptoms of dementia. Often, Whitney would argue with Fletcher out of frustration, wanting to go back to her home, confused as to why she was at Fletcher's house.
That's when Fletcher said she would play the video of the All-Women's Army Corps Unit from Whitney's time during World War II of the women marching, getting ready to travel overseas. Whitney would quickly calm down, pointing at the screen, saying, "Do you see me?"
Fletcher always knew her mother served in the Army, but it wasn't until a couple of years before her passing she realized her mom was a member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, otherwise known as the "Six Triple Eight."
This Army unit consisted of 855 women, a majority of them Black women, who were tasked with clearing more than 17 million pieces of backlogged mail within three months in England. This doesn't count in all the other pieces of mail they worked through in other parts of Europe.
The unit was responsible for single-handedly getting important pieces of communication to government officials, troops, and their families.
Recently, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law, honoring the Six Triple Eight members with U.S. congressional gold medals for their trailblazing efforts during the war. It's a recognition Fletcher wants more people to know about.
"I think even though it’s been recognized, I still have goosebumps about it," Fletcher said. "I don’t think it’s hit home. I think when I see that medal, that’s going to really get in my spirit in saying, ‘she really did this.’”
Years after Fletcher first learned about the Six Triple Eight, she's made it her mission to share her mother's story with others. She spoke to 13News Now in November 2021 and since then, we've done several stories following up on what's new with this piece of history connected to Hampton Roads.
However, little did Fletcher know, her story didn't have to travel very far to make a big impact.
In 2023, Fletcher got a call from the woman who bought her mother's home. Often, the homeowner would let Fletcher know when she got mail sent to that address. This time, the woman told Fletcher she received a handwritten letter from a woman by the name of Ms. Morrow.
In the letter, Morrow told Fletcher she saw the 13News Now story about the Six Triple Eight and recalled how her pastor from when she was young would often tell stories about her time in the military. It wasn't until Morrow heard Fletcher's story that she realized there might be a connection.
“I could recall times where during service where my pastor would talk about snippets of her time in the military. There was this one story she told about having to carry a very important piece of mail to a destination and how she had to ride a bike to get it there," Morrow explained. "So, Ms. Fletcher’s story led me to start digging. I wanted to see if, in fact, my pastor was a part of this unit. So, I said I got to find Ms. Fletcher.”
After digging through archives, Morrow found her pastor, Ms. Odessa Alice Lawrence, listed on the Six Triple Eight registry.
“I had to get in touch with the family to get permission, so I called them and said, I think pastor was a WWII veteran and I think she’s due to receive a medal," Morrow said. "I think she should receive all the honors, in her death, that’s due her. Because she was a person that was truly worthy.”
Morrow connected with Lawrence's nephew, Wilbert Henderson. Lawrence didn't have any children but treated Henderson like he was her own son.
“I call her pastor, but she was my aunt," said Henderson. "As the Lord moved her and she touched so many people's lives, young and old, all about helping."
Henderson said Lawrence opened the Divine Holiness of Christ Church in 1968 in Portsmouth where she lived after moving from North Carolina. He said after the city took over the property, she took what little money she had left with her and worked toward preaching to the community in other areas.
She eventually reopened the church in Chesapeake in the 1990s where it still sits on Cedar Road. A picture of Lawrence and her husband hangs to the left as you enter the church.
That's where Henderson, Morrow, and Fletcher all met for the first time.
“I came up in 2013 to live with her and take care of her until she passed," Henderson said. "You just can’t do enough for her. All the members feel the same way. Because she had taken care of so many of the members through the hard times, through the teaching, and loving and caring. That was her life.”
The three shared stories of Whitney and Lawrence as they peered at the black-and-white photos of their loved ones on one of the church pews.
Both Whitney and Lawrence are known for their contributions to their communities in addition to what they did during World War II.
Lawrence passed away in 2015, just two years before Whitney said goodbye to her family for the last time. Years later, their deeply rooted legacies are still bringing people together.