Obituary for Audrey Diane Countryman

Audrey Diane (Harsh) Countryman died peacefully on February 16, 2025 at Spurgeon Manor, Dallas Center, Iowa from Congestive Heart Failure and Lewey Body Dementia. She was delivered at home in Adel on December 14, 1937 to Fannie Chloe (Bates) Harsh and Joseph Delbert Harsh. She was the youngest of 5 children with 3 of them older sisters who doted on her.

During her high school years, she was an excellent basketball player. Her basketball career was cut short when she married Ward “Pete” Countryman on June 12,1954. She went on to be homecoming queen and graduated from Adel High School in 1956.

Audrey and Pete raised three daughters in Adel. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Adel. She assisted in Bible/Sunday school while her daughters were young. She baked cookies for “the church” never allowing the girls to eat them. At the same period of time, she pitched for the Mrs. Adel softball team and loved being in competitive athletics again. She formed lasting friendships with all of her teammates.

Both she and Pete attended all of the girls’ school events. They could be easily spotted in the bleachers. She was always available for transportation and any odd requests for items from her “Mary Poppins” bag. She adored being a grandmother. The first grandchild is always special and she embraced grandparenting with zest. She and her sister Colleen spent many years helping raise her second set of three grandsons. Her two granddaughters brought joy and laughter to her life. All of the grandchildren would be excited when their grandparents showed up for their events.

Many years were spent camping, sailing and water skiing. Black Hawk Lake became a second home for the summer. Later in their years they added Polka dancing and traveling until they landed part-time in Donna, Texas.

She was a joyful sibling, a good friend, a commonsense mother and a loving grandmother. She loved gardening, athletics and winning at anything…especially cards! Audrey was preceded in death by her brother, Delbert Leroy Harsh, her sister, Fanny Mae(Harsh) Elder, and her husband, Ward “Pete” Countryman. She is survived by her sister, Barbara(Harsh) Johnson, Colleen(Harsh) Cadwell and her brother-in-law, Bob Cadwell; her daughters, Kim Countryman(Dale Anderson), Lyn Countryman(Bob Huber), Kelly Countryman(Milo Schnoor); her grandchildren, Robert Countryman, Joseph Derek Yeoman(Alison Fields), Devin Yeoman(Becky), David Yeoman, Aubrey Huber(Chris McRae), Katy Kathryn Sogard(Chris); her great grandchildren, Nathan Countryman, Graham McRae, Oliver McRae, Edie Yeoman, Fletcher Yeoman, Isaiah Yeoman and Peter Yeoman.

A celebration of life will be arranged in the future.