1990-2026
Katie Lynn (Hoak) Peterson, age 36, of Brookville, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2026, with her loving family all around her.
Born on May 16, 1990, in DuBois, Pennsylvania, Katie was the daughter of Gene and Heidi Lynn (Kalchthaler) Hoak. From the very beginning, Katie carried a light that was entirely her own; bright, thoughtful, spirited, and unforgettable. She loved life deeply, not in a quiet or passive way, but with intention, with courage, and with a heart that reached easily toward others.
Katie was a 2009 graduate of Brookville Area High School. She went on to attend Allegheny Community College, where she earned her degree in Court Reporting in 2011. After a brief career in court stenography, Katie joined her family’s business, Hoak Insurance, in 2012, where she became a Certified Insurance Counselor. Her work there reflected not only her ability and intelligence, but also her loyalty to family and her genuine care for the people of her community.
On October 13, 2012, in Brookville, Katie married Trevor John Peterson, the love of her life. Trevor preceded her in passing on May 19, 2023. During their years together, Katie and Trevor also enjoyed owning and working at the C & O Deli, where Katie’s love of people, conversation, food, and making others feel welcome could be seen in the most natural way.
Katie was a devoted and active member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Brookville. She served as a lector and loved the honor of reading as part of church services. Her faith was woven into the way she lived through service, through perseverance, through love, and through the quiet strength she carried even when life asked more of her than anyone should have to bear.
Katie loved her community and gave herself freely to it. She was involved with the Brookville Civic Club and the Chamber of Commerce, and following Trevor’s passing, she founded the Walk With Hope scholarship program in his honor. This program became especially dear to her heart. It was an expression of love, memory, purpose, and hope, all things Katie understood profoundly.
To know Katie was to know someone who lived far beyond the ordinary. She was strong, and she was funny. She was stubborn in the best way, and kind in the deepest way. She endured some of life’s most heartbreaking obstacles and still remained fun, thoughtful, generous, and full of spirit. She fought for and earned every moment for herself, for her children, and for her family. She had every reason to give up, and she never did.
Katie loved music, holidays, the beach, and time spent there with her family. She loved Sunday dinners and making beautiful charcuterie boards. She loved entertaining, planning parties and events, and finding ways to make other people feel special. Even near the end of her life, she was still planning, still giving, still thinking of others. She was a writer of poetry, and much like the poems she loved to create, her life held beauty, rhythm, depth, and feeling.
Katie had a style all her own. Her favorite color was black, something reflected in the way she dressed and carried herself. She loved jewelry, especially her hoop earrings, which became part of the unmistakable way she presented herself to the world, confident, expressive, elegant, and true to who she was. Her joy could also appear in the most playful moments, like riding her son’s electric scooter around town, laughing, living, and reminding everyone around her that life, even when hard, was still meant to be embraced.
Above all, Katie loved her children. Cooper Jackson Peterson and Olivia Ann Peterson were the heart of her life and the reason behind so much of her strength. Her love for them was fierce, tender, and endless. Every battle she fought, every moment she held on, and every hope she carried was deeply rooted in them.
In addition to her parents, Gene and Heidi Hoak, Katie is survived by her beloved children, Cooper Jackson Peterson and Olivia Ann Peterson; two brothers, Steve Hoak and Jonathan D. Hoak; her maternal grandfather, David R. Kalchthaler and his fiancée, Diana; her paternal grandfather, Larry Hoak and his wife, Mary; as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who loved her dearly.
In addition to her husband, Trevor Peterson, Katie was preceded in passing by her grandmothers, Judy Kalchthaler and Carol J. Hoak.
A public viewing will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22, 2026, at the McKinney - d’Argy Funeral Home, 345 Main Street, Brookville, PA 15825.
A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will take place the following day, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, beginning at 11:00 a.m., at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 129 Graham Avenue, Brookville, PA 15825. Officiated by Father William Laska.
Final interment will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Rose Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.
Memorial contributions may be directed toward Katie’s founded scholarship program, Walk With Hope. More information may be found by visiting www.dargyfh.com.
