Philip Alan Countryman, 77, of Fairfield, Iowa, passed away on February 2, 2025,
at Jefferson County Health Center. A graveside service, with military honors, will
be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Union Cemetery with
Pastor Al Coffin officiating. Open visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday,
February 7, 2025, at the Cranston Family Funeral Home in Fairfield, IA with a
Masonic Service starting at 4:30 p.m. The family will be present to greet friends
from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be
directed to the Shriners Children’s Hospital or to the Union Cemetery Association
and may be mailed c/o Cranston Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 189, Fairfield, IA
- Friends may leave online condolences at
www.cranstonfamilyfunerahome.com.
Philip Alan Countryman was born December 27, 1947 to Robert William and
Vivian Johnson Countryman in Ottumwa, Iowa. He grew up on a farm in Davis
County and graduated from Davis County High School in 1966. While in high
school he was a wrestling manager and involved in FFA. He was chosen to be an
FFA usher for the grandstand at the Iowa State Fair. In his senior year, he became
a lead usher, working with other FFA members who were part of the usher crew.
Phil became a Cyclone at Iowa State University and graduated in November, 1970,
with a degree in Agricultural Education with an emphasis on Agricultural Business.
He became a resident of Jefferson County when his parents moved to a farm East
of Fairfield in 1967.
Some of his closest friends at ISU were from Fairfield, and it was at a gathering of
friends on the 4 th of July, 1969, that he met his future wife, Gloria Tedrow.
Phil was drafted into the U.S. Army in December, 1970. He always said that the
only lottery he ever won was through the draft lottery system. He was stationed
at Fort Leonardwood, MO. Because the base did not have enough room for the
new draftees, a plane full of GI’s were flown to Fort Lewis, Washington on
December 31. His comment when he called home to report to his family his new
location was that he saw the New Year 3 times during that flight and that should
have counted towards his 2 years of service so he could be flown home. He
completed Basic and AIT training and received orders for Viet Nam. Those orders
were rescinded and 18 days later, on June 2, 1970, he received orders for
Germany. He called Gloria, and they were married on June 11, 1970 while he was
home on leave. She later joined him in September in Heilbronn, Germany, so
they could enjoy their 15 month “European honeymoon”. He served with the 23 rd
Ordinance Company as a security clerk and was discharged in December, 1972.
He began working for Jefferson County Mutual Insurance Company in 1973 as an
adjuster/inspector and in 1975 became an adjuster/claims specialist for Grinnell
Mutual Reinsurance Company in parts of Iowa and Missouri. He retired from
GMRC in May, 2011.
Phil was a member of the Fairfield First United Methodist Church, Masonic Clinton
Lodge 15, Scottish Rites and Kaaba Shrine, Ducks Unlimited, and numerous
professional organizations during his insurance career.
His favorite activities were spending time with his family, attending different
sporting events to cheer on kids and grandkids, working with the variety of
animals that were on the family acreage through the years, and working with his
tractors—2 John Deere, his grandfather’s AC, a Ford Jubilee, and a D17.
His quick wit and sense of humor will be missed by his wife, Gloria, his daughter
Sarah (Kurt) Renaud of West Des Moines, his son Aaron (Alysia) Countryman of
Fairfield, 4 grandsons, Alec Renaud, Chase, Channing, and Cael Countryman, a
sister Barbara (Gerry)Schwake of Sumner, and brother David (Roberta)
Countryman of Ames, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Vivian Countryman, his
parents-in-law, Glenn and Arlene Tedrow, and a grandson, Job Philip Renaud.
