Olive Woodward and Kathleen Saville have been best friends for 78 years now. Their bond is so strong that they even moved into the same care home just so they can spend more time together. The pair, both 89, met at school when they were just 11 and sitting next to each other in the class. It turned out they lived down the road from each other, too.
All odds being in their favour and the duo quickly became best friends and kept the bond while growing up. Family life didn’t tear them apart as well. Both of their husbands worked at the same company and so they lived in the same place. Just like in their childhood, it was pretty easy to keep close and so they did, going through life together.
Kathleen, whose husband Leonard died in 1989 after a 35-year marriage, moved into a care home in Mansfield. Olive, who has two grown-up daughters, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, lost her husband in 2004. She lived on her own in Mansfield following her husband’s death but has now joined Kathleen in the care home with a room down the hall just so she can spend more time with her best friend forever.
The pair, who is two of the oldest residents at the home, now spends all their time together and says the secret to their long friendship is never arguing and telling each other what they think. Kathleen said that they are 89 but we look 63 and they have been good friends and never fallen out.
Olive said that they are still capable of looking after themselves and each other. She further said that they lived around the corner from each other all their lives so living down the hall seemed an obvious thing to do. She feels very lucky to have her best friend down the hall.
They have built many memories together and still they are making more every day.
Kathleen even said that if Olive goes first she will have to come back to fetch her. They are going to be friends in heaven.’
People don’t say ‘friendship goals’ as often these days but Olive Woodward and Kathleen Saville are worthy of bringing the phrase back. And if that’s not friendship goals, we don’t know what is.
