Albert J. Countryman Sr., 88, a longtime resident of Palmyra, passed peacefully at home on October 8, 2023.
Al was born and raised in Philadelphia. As a young man, he joined the Steel Workers Union and was a union steward. He and his wife Jean moved to Palmyra in 1958 to raise their family. As an adult, Al earned his high school diploma from Palmyra High School while helping raise his six children and being very involved in their activities.
He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and his master’s degree from LaSalle University. Al worked for many years for Allstate Insurance and became the Head Adjuster for the State of New Jersey Joint Underwriters Association. Following his insurance career, Al used his master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling working as a Family Counselor for the Moorestown Visiting Nurses Association, where he worked well into his 80’s before retiring.
Albert was very active in his community where he served two terms as a Borough Councilman for Palmyra, was the President of the Sacred Heart PTA and was a longtime coach for Sacred Heart Little League Baseball. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Church, Riverton, and a founder of the Tri-Boro Catholic Education Association that helped provide daily transportation for local children who attended area Catholic schools. Albert gave a lot of his time to the group’s fundraising to pay for a school bus to transport the students and was known for collecting discarded newspapers to recycle for money needed to run the program, long before formalized recycling programs.
A religious man who tried to attend Mass daily, Albert was a longtime retreatant with the Men of Malvern, first going there as a young man with his brother Ed and then getting his sons to go with him every February. He enjoyed traveling, especially the trips with his wife Jean and his brother and sister-in-law Ed and Rose to Ireland and Italy.
Albert was predeceased by his loving mother, Marie Countryman (nee Murphy), his beloved wife of 59 years, Jean A. Countryman (nee Barrett), by their dear daughter, Mary Sibree (nee Countryman) and by his brother, Edward Countryman.
He is survived by his five sons, Albert J. Countryman Jr. (Diane), James Countryman (Joan), Joseph Countryman (Carol), Kevin Countryman (Carolyn) and John Countryman. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Christopher, Patrick and Andrew Countryman, Megan and Kelly Sibree and Liam Countryman, as well as by his son-in-law, Bill Sibree (Sue) and his great-granddaughter, Phoebe Countryman.
He is the step-grandfather of Chris, Kyle, Kaitlyn, Joel, Summer and Taryn, and is also survived by seven step-great grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewing on Monday, October 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Weber Funeral Home, 112 Broad Street, Riverton, NJ 08077 followed by his Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. in Sacred Heart Church, Fourth Street and Linden Avenue, Riverton, NJ 08077. Interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Park, Cinnaminson. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory to Catholic Charities of Burlington County, 5 Terri Ln #5, Burlington Twp., NJ 08016 would be appreciated.
Remembrances and condolences may be share with his family at www.weberfuneralhomeinc.com.
