Sally A. (Mathews) Countryman, 84, of Marlborough, died Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at Marlborough Hospital.  She leaves her former husband, Gary L. Countryman of Cambridge.

Sally was born in Ellensburg, Washington and was raised in Spokane, Washington and Eugene, Oregon, the daughter of the late Ivan W. and Pansy H. (McFarland) Mathews.  She was a graduate of Eugene High School and attended Suffolk University.

Sally had a passion for gardening–the grounds where she lived were a stunning show of natural art.  Her affection for dogs was lifelong, as she hadn't been without one in her home since 1967. She was especially smitten with her most recent four-legged friend, Katy. Sally possessed a wonderful sense of humor and she loved spending time with her family. She was kind, generous, strong-willed, and never hesitated to share her opinion on a variety of topics.

Sally was also very curious.  Her family remembers when she found a small cannon-like object in the closet in a box.  In the box were also a cartridge and a wooden mallet.  Wondering what it would do, she put the cannon together on her carpeted  bedroom floor.  With her dog and granddaughter Caroline watching, she smacked the thing with the mallet.  Off shot the cannon, rendering the dog, Caroline and Sally temporarily deaf and leaving a large burn hole in the carpet.  Turns out it was a starter cannon for a boat race and the cartridge was a 10 gauge shotgun shell.

Sally also bought herself a Cadillac sports car at one point.  Driving down Route 495 when she first got the car, she was pulled over by a state police officer.  When asked if she knew how fast she was going by the officer, she said "Yes!  I was going 125 mph!  I wanted to see how fast it could go."  When she later told the story to her family grinning ear to ear, she proudly displayed the $180 speeding ticket.

There are many stories that can be told about Sally but we would be remiss not to mention the time she showed up after her divorce to hunt wild boar in camo capris.  She was successful in the hunt and later used the picture of herself, holding a gun with her foot on the pig, as a Christmas card with the caption "Now that Gary is gone, I have to bring home the bacon myself!  Merry Christmas!" Sally will be sorely missed by not only her former husband Gary but by her son, Christopher J. Countryman and his spouse Antonis Purvis of Framingham; three daughters, Susan M. Countryman and her spouse Carolyn Hechler of Mendon, Sherry L. Countryman of Martha's Vineyard and Stefanie M. Countryman and her husband Peter Medaugh of Arvada, Colorado; a brother Walter I. Mathews of Eugene, Oregon; and four grandchildren: Megan and Caroline Norton, Brian Medaugh and Rachel Awalt; She was predeceased by her son-in-law Timothy Norton (Sherry's husband) of Southborough who died in 2006.

Her funeral and burial will be held in Rest-Haven Memorial Park in Eugene, Oregon. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her memory to Shriners Childrens Spokane, 911 W. 5th Ave.,  Spokane, WA  99204 shrinerschildrens.org.  Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Collins Funeral Home, 378 Lincoln Street, Marlborough. All are invited to Sally's online guestbook at collinsfuneral.com.