The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Meet Your Neighbor

by Christy Kienast, The Quill

Meet your neighbor and Illini West Senior Miranda Countryman of Lomax.

Miranda was born January 27, 1997 in Burlington, Iowa and was raised in La Harpe, the daughter of Roger and Jackie Countryman of Lomax.

Roger works as a correctional officer at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, IA and Jackie is a hairdresser in Lomax.

Miranda has two brothers. Jason works for the union and lives in Lomax and Travas lives in Raritan.

Miranda is the granddaughter of John and Marylue Nortrup of Stronghurst, Ralph Countryman of Stronghurst, and Alene and the late Tony Markey of Dallas City.

John is an owner/operator for trucking and Marylue managed the Blandinsville gas station.

Ralph Countryman was a construction worker in Texas for many years, Tony retired from Case in Burlington, IA and Alene is the owner of Just Quilting in Dallas City.

Miranda earned her CNA in the summer between her sophomore and junior years. She is currently taking dual credit classes at Carl Sandberg College. Although she is not working now, Miranda did work at Jenni's in Lomax.

Miranda s favorite vacation memories are when the family went out to Oregon, when her brother returned home from Afghanistan, and when they went to North and South Carolina to visit her aunt, and a trip to Colorado to visit her brother upon his return from Iraq.

One of her favorite high school memories was riding in the limo with friends for the homecoming dance.

In high school, Miranda has been involved in Cheerleading, FFA, the Get R Done Club and band.

Her hobbies include playing her clarinet (she played in the honor band in Macombthis year), cheerleading, and hanging out with friends and family.

After graduation in May 2015, Miranda plans to go on to college for Pre Med. Although she is unsure what she will be, Pediatric Oncology is her goal.