Full Circle: A Friendship 90 Years in the Making

It’s a calm and cozy afternoon in Vern’s Pub at Saint Luke’s Bishop Spencer Place, where residents Carol Owen, 96, and Jean McGreevy Green, 95, are laughing and carrying on like old friends. That’s because they are, having met as children back in 1932 and now living as neighbors at Bishop Spencer Place in the golden years of their retirement. 

They grew up just down the street from one another in the Country Club district of Kansas City. When Carol was turning 2 years old, her mom invited Jean’s family to the party—and the rest is history. The two became fast friends, spending endless days playing around the neighborhood. They carried their friendship to a camp in Michigan, where they spent a summer together as campers and Jean later returned as a camp counselor. Although the two attended separate high schools, they shared a love of history that led them to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. 

“There was a counselor at that camp who was a professor at Vassar,” Carol says. “Talking to her over the years, Vassar seemed like a perfect fit for me. I was delighted to see Jean enroll there a year later.”

It was during the college years that Carol and Jean’s friendship went international. Jean’s mother found an exciting summer opportunity aboard the Queen Mary exploring the rivers of Europe. Jean could think of no one better to accompany her than her best friend, Carol. 

“We had a fabulous time together,” Jean says. “We spent seven weeks in Europe seeing the sights and experiencing the culture.”

By the time the two graduated college and returned to Kansas City, a new chapter was beginning. Jean joined the Junior League, a global nonprofit aimed at advancing women’s leadership for the betterment of local communities. Carol was engaged to be married and asked Jean to be her maid of honor, a privilege she humbly accepted.

Carol and Jean stayed in touch over the years while raising their families. Weekend get-togethers and holiday parties became the norm, as their kids became friends with one another. In 2006, Carol and her husband decided to move into Bishop Spencer Place to enjoy the comforts of independent living with the convenience of services, amenities, and potential assisted living options just steps away. And one day, she saw a familiar face. 

“It was a pleasure to see Jean again,” Carol says. “I moved into one of the apartments across the hall from her, so it’s just like we’re neighbors again after all the years.” 

Reflecting on their many years together, Carol and Jean admit the secret to an enduring friendship is less about the time you spend together and more about the space you hold for each other. 

“We didn’t always do everything together over the years,” Carol says. “But we never drifted apart. When Jean moved in, it was like we were kids again. We played bridge together, our husbands were in the investment club together, and we had dinner together. It just felt like old times.” 

Just steps away from historic Country Club Plaza, Saint Luke’s Bishop Spencer Place is Kansas City’s premier senior living community. Here you’ll find a vibrant lifestyle with the care you need and amenities you’ll love—all with the compassion and convenience of Saint Luke’s. Bishop Spencer Place offers several types of living arrangements to best fit your lifestyle, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care.