‘Against all odds’ Two-time survivor shares her story

Lucille Willette always knew God had a plan for her life. Her faith gave her the strength and courage to defeat breast cancer twice and to bear the loss of her husband of 52 years.

Diagnosed first in 1988 and then again in 1993, Lucille had loved her work as a hairdresser; however, when her illness returned, she was forced to give up the 40-year career she loved. But she knew God had closed that door for a reason.

"God has worked so many miracles in my life," Lucille said. " When I had breast cancer for the second time, they were doing such extensive surgeries then, I had to give up my career. Then someone stuck a microphone in my face and many new doors opened."

For the next decade, Lucille worked tirelessly and focused on educating women about breast cancer awareness. As an agent for Coffee County Family Services, she traveled many miles, even taking her mission of hope and inspiration into Alabama prisons and jails. She did whatever it took to inform women about the importance of early detection and became well known nationally for her efforts.

Many members of the community know her as Lucille Latham, but she and her new husband, Bill, recently celebrated their first anniversary - and they are living a fairytale life.

In the 1950s, Lucille and Bill were high school sweethearts. Their budding romance was cut short because of school and war. For more than five decades, Bill carried her memory and her ring in his heart. Miraculously, they were reunited, and both realized they were still deeply in love. Like something out of a romance novel, their relationship triumphed through time and against all odds.

"When God first opened this door, I wasn't prepared," Lucille said. "It is almost unbelievable that it could have possibly happened the way that it did. I never expected him to be back in my life. He was a memory of yesterday. Now we know God intended it to be this way, and we are so happy."

Bill graduated from Covington County High School in 1954 and moved to Auburn, leaving Lucille behind. It would be another year before she would graduate.

While Bill was in college, he dreamed of Lucille and the life they would have together. In 1955, Bill returned to their hometown of Florala where they grew up together and danced at his Junior Senior Prom. While there, he bought an engagement ring for Lucille. He was unaware that she was already married to someone else.

"My stepfather was one of the city policemen when we were growing up," Lucille said. "Bill didn't know if he wanted to knock on my door or not...but he took a chance. We knew at that time it was meant to be, but he was trying to get off to college, and he knew the military was going to get him at some point."

Disappointed at his loss, Bill moved on, becoming part of the U.S. Army Special Forces Green Berets. He met and married his first wife while serving in Germany.

Bill lost his wife eight years ago. Lucille's husband passed away about two years ago.

Even though Bill loved his wife of 41 years, he never parted with the special ring he bought for Lucille. In 2009, they reconnected, and on New Year's Eve, he finally had a chance to put it on her finger. Of course, she said, "Yes." They celebrated the New Year and their new life together with a dance. It was the first dance they'd shared in 59 years.

Now in their 70s, they are in love with life and each other, and they rejoice in sharing their fairytale with their children and grandchildren.

They bought a dream get-a-way on Dauphin Island, but they are quick to say "Enterprise is home."

Lucille has an immense love for the community, and Bill attended Flight School at Fort Rucker, so he was already very familiar with the area when they married.

"Enterprise is home, but this is heaven for sure," Lucille said, indicating her much-loved house on Dauphin Island.

Bill said, "Lucy likes to go fishing at night, so I guess I am going to have to buy a boat" - Which he did.

The way we reconnected is inconceivable," Lucille said. "This, too, was God's plan for my life."

Their new journey together began when Bill, who had lived in Modesto, Cali., for 25 years, flew to Mobile to visit his brother, Jim. While there, he noticed a book sitting on a table. He picked it up and found it was about the Class of 1954's 50th high school reunion. Alice Rhodes, a longtime teacher in Enterprise and classmate of Bill's brother and Lucille, had put the book together.

"My brother didn't go to the reunion, but Alice was the class president and mailed everyone a copy of the book," Bill said. "There was Lucy's name (Lucille Pyburn) and phone number in my brother's book. That is how I learned her husband had passed, and that is how I got her phone number. So I called her."

Lucille said she would never forget answering the phone and hearing someone say, "I am in Alabama and I want to take you to dinner."

"When he told me who it was, it was almost unbelievable," she said. "When he said ‘this is William' I knew immediately who it was. We have to thank Alice Rhodes. She was Bill's next-door neighbor in Florala. Had Alice not sent that book out, and Bill had not flown to Mobile to see his brother and seen the book, this reunion would not have happened."

Lucille said she wasn't prepared for her emotional reaction the first evening Bill walked in the door of her home.

"He was late and we never got to eat dinner," she said. "I was not prepared for the emotional reaction I had. I just wanted him gone. I was not ready for another relationship. I had a good life, a full life. When he walked back in my life, I knew I was in trouble. I learned my life was full, but not complete."

As Bill and Lucille reconnected, they were amazed by how their pasts seem to parallel.

"My first husband was a paratrooper, so we were both tied to the military. Our parents are buried within just a few feet of one another in Florala. We speak the same language, like the same food, country music and share the same friends," she said. "And thank goodness I am an Auburn fan, because I don't think he would have married me if I had been an Alabama fan."

Lucille said she wonders what were the chances of her surviving cancer twice and Bill surviving five years with Special Forces, Vietnam and his love of skydiving.

"What were the chances of him being single for all these years," she said. "And surviving all he went through virtually with no injuries. Then, to receive my ring after all these years, it is just the way God intended. There is no other explanation."

Bill said he was a second lieutenant in Officer Candidate School when he came home to Florala and bought Lucille's ring.

"I went to the barber shop and stopped in next door to the jewelry store," he said. "The guy showed me the ring. I think I paid $300 for it. He let me put $20 down and pay on it until it was paid for ...I left the ring in Florala. I knew if I needed it, mama could mail it to me."

Bill and Lucille married in June 2010. They attend First Methodist Church in Enterprise but, because of the shared military background, they felt it fitting to have their nuptials at Fort Rucker's Chapel of the Wings. Just like their rekindled relationship, their wedding was perfect.

"I was cutting Alice Rhodes' hair when she went into labor with her son, Dave, who is now a preacher," Lucille said. "He was the preacher at our wedding, and we had 14 classmates attend our wedding. Bill's grandsons carried the ring, and Judy Crowley hosted the reception at her home. Brice Paul estimated there were about 450 people who attended. It was very special."

One of Lucille's friends had kept two special handkerchiefs since she was 16 years old. Bill's late grandmother had sewed both.

"I carried those hankies in our wedding. His grandmother's hankies ... after all these years," Lucille said.

Bill said while he always knew Lucille was special, he realized what she meant to the people in the community after he flew in to see her on the day of the Breast Cancer Forum in October 2009.

"He was here doing what he could to help me while I was trying to entertain 400 women," she said. " I was stressing. It was the longest day I ever spent. I realized that visit was going to make or break our relationship. "

That October, Bill caught a glimpse of what Lucille's work encompassed, but he didn't realize the extent of her work until she called in January to announce she was flying to a convention in San Francisco.

After they married, Lucille made the decision to retire from her work with Coffee County Family Services, but the couple vows to lend a helping hand when they can. Lucille was at Tuesday's Breast Cancer Forum, and Bill was there to support her.

Lucille said her high school memories of Bill, her breast cancer survival, and their shared tragedy of losing beloved spouses are what make their relationship special.

"I can still remember looking at him across the gym and thinking how handsome he was. I had a crush on him. We are so thankful God gave us a second chance," Lucille said. "We make every day a good day and live life to the fullest."

The couple is also blessed to have the support of their combined three children. Lucille's daughter, Lynn, a registered nurse, is also a breast cancer survivor.

"Our children have been awesome." Lucille said. "They have supported us in every way humanly possible. My grandchildren are grown, and now Bill's daughters have given me two new grandchildren that I adore."

The couple agrees if they had to do life over again, they wouldn't change a thing.

"I never doubted for 52 years where I wanted to be," Lucille said. "But, this is a new beginning for both of us and our families. It is a win-win situation."

On their wedding day, Lucille gave Bill a special ring that shows the history of his military career with his birthstone in the center, but Bill said its not the rings, but the simple things that make their relationship special.

"I am getting really good at driving left-handed," he said. "We hold hands all the way home when we leave Dauphin Island."