Alice Countryman

Imagine a woman whose heart is her strongest muscle, and you begin to understand the sort of friend, wife, mother, daughter that Alice Countryman was. Her smile beamed with the warmth of her soul, and she could show the depth of her love with just the squeeze of a hand. With the end of World War II, thousands of young American men returned home to start their families. The Baby Boom was quickly underway, and Merrill and Mary Elizabeth "Bee" Bowman of Indianapolis were among the many expecting parents. On January 28, 1948, their home was blessed with the birth of their first-born named Alice Marie. Even in her early days, Alice exuded many of the characteristics that would guide her adult life. She radiated warmth and affection, and as the oldest of five children, she took on the role of a second mother with her siblings. Whether it was in the leadership qualities she showed at home or her academic achievements, Merrill and Bee had plenty of reasons to be proud of Alice. She attended grade school at Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Matthew. She graduated from Chatard with the class of 1966, then moved on to college at Purdue University, where she earned her degree in education in 1970.

When Alice was still in a high school, she met Stuart Countryman at a New Year's Eve party. The year was 1965, Alice was a junior at Chatard, and the moment she stepped into Stu's line of vision, he knew that he was going to marry her. The next day, at a big snowball fight, Stu whispered this to his friend: "I'm going to marry that girl." Five years later, Stu's words proved correct. On August 30, 1969, the hottest day of the year, Alice and Stu married in St. Matthew Catholic Church. The wedding filled the church, and Alice looked radiant among her many bridesmaids. This was one of the greatest days in Alice's life, and she followed it with a slightly haphazard honeymoon to the Bahamas. They reached the islands through Miami, but upon arriving, the newlyweds realized that they hardly had enough money to eat. Plans changed, and their honeymoon redirected itself to Naples, where they visited Stu's grandparents. Just less than one year later, Alice gave birth to her first child Brad; in the following decade, she would add four more children to the family, Heather, John, Nick, and Peter. She enjoyed being a mother so much that she wouldn't have minded another five children!

When it came to being a mother, Alice was a natural. Her way of being emanated warmth and love, and through her example, she taught her children the right family values. She showed that if you're willing to make everyone a friend, then you'll never have an enemy. This was true for Alice: she got along with everyone, and she liked to show her affection with hugs and kisses. She and Stu always welcomed the friends of their kids into the house--in a sense, they adopted people into their lives. All the children were very involved with athletics, and Alice never missed a game. Once she attended twenty-one games in a single week. It wasn't so much her dedication that motivated her; she simply liked to watch her kids play. Her children always made her proud, from their first days to their adult years, and she was especially happy that all her four oldest children found wonderful spouses. The births of her grandchildren made Alice especially proud and happy.

As a devout Catholic, it was very important for Alice to incorporate the Church into her children's lives. Four of the kids were baptized at home, and often times the family would attend Mass in their own home under the lead of a priest friend. In her own childhood, Alice practiced her faith at daily mass with her sisters. Christianity was a guide in her life, and by modeling herself after Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, she became a guide in the lives of her children. She demonstrated the importance of loving your neighbor, of always being sensitive and patient. Throughout her life, Alice remained an active parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and in the Brebeuf Jesuit Community.

Family was the most important aspect of Alice's life--it was the central point around which everything else revolved. Though she worked full time at Hoosier Badge that she and Stu bought in 1980, she always found time to be with her husband and kids. For birthdays, Alice would go out of her way to make the event particularly special, and the birthday of her Lord was no different. On Christmas, the presents reached the ceiling. It seemed to the children that there must be a Santa Claus, since there was no way their parents could afford all these gifts. But Alice simply loved holidays and special occasions, and whether it was present-giving or putting together a feast, she was always dedicated to doing her best. She loved to party, something the Countrymans never needed an excuse to do. A family dinner was reason enough for Alice to put together a feast. It was a pleasure for her to cook--she could rub two pennies together and feed seven hungry mouths--and she loved to sit at a table with her family.

Alice was an eternal organizer, and her mind was often filled with ideas for family vacations. She wanted to pass on an appreciation for travel to her children, and thus she and Stu took the kids to Gulf Shores, Alabama, North Carolina, and the unanticipated site of their honeymoon, Naples, Florida. For their 25th wedding anniversary, she and Stu took all the children with them on a cruise.

With her kind personality, Alice attracted a great circle of friends. She and about a half-dozen friends always spent time together. Quality attracts quality, and with Alice as their leader, these ladies formed a very close group. Alice was an excellent listener, and her girlfriends all came to her when they needed help. If anyone needed advice on motherhood, Alice was a great source. She enjoyed long conversations with Heather while they shopped for bargains at garage sales, and you could often find her and her friends at the movies. Though Alice was a sophisticated woman, she was never pretentious. She was always eager to make new friends, and she had the unique ability to make everyone feel special. Alice felt the happiest when she made others happy, and since she could always put a smile on your face, she too always wore a smile.

Alice died October 27, 2004. She is preceded in death by her father Merrill A. Bowman. Survivors include her husband of 35 years, Stuart B. Countryman; her children, Bradley Countryman (Eileen), Heather O’Brien (Matthew), John Countryman (Michaela), Nicholas Countryman (Cyndi), and Peter Countryman; mother, Mary Elizabeth “Bee” Bowman; siblings, Joyce Nitchman (Jim), Linda Haislup (Bob), Marcia Shields (Ewing), Anthony Bowman (Nancy); grandchildren, Olivia and Patrick Countryman, Alice Marie O’Brien. Friends and family will gather on Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. in the Leppert Life Story Funeral Home, Nora Chapel, 740 E. 86th St. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery. You are invited to visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may read Alice’s Life Story, share a personal memory, arrange for flowers, or make a memorial contribution to Brebeuf Jesuit or Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Those who knew Alice all agree that she was as warm and loving as anyone could be. Alice was the most selfless person you could ever meet; she always put the needs of others before her own. She will be frequently remembered by the many, many people whose lives she touched. In the words that she herself often used to end a conversation, "Goodnight and God bless you, Alice."