Katurah "Katie" Joy Schweikle

Katurah Joy “Katie” (Beukema) Schweikle, 57, of Van Wert, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, at Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne, on Thursday, 4 June 2026.

Born Holly Hosler on 27 January 1969 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to William Carl and Margaret Ann (Coil) Hosler, she was raised in Huntertown and Churubusco, Indiana, attended Churubusco Jr. - Sr. High (Class of 1986), Ivy Tech (1992-93), and majored in nursing at Purdue University, Fort Wayne.

Katie worked as an EMT and an STNA, a cake decorator, a cab driver, and also at various retail and manufacturing jobs and as a cook at Balyeat’s Coffee Shop. She took pride in her cooking and crochet work, was a skilled seamstress, and had a green thumb. Her medical training often proved useful at home as well as at work, as she cared for family and friends.

On 12 June 2006 she married Paul D. Schweikle, who survives. Katie and Paul met at a singles’ game night at Katie’s church in Fort Wayne. Their first date was attending an Easter Vigil service at the Cathedral. (Paul likes to learn and experience first-hand how others celebrate their spirituality.) When Bishop D’Arcy walked by throwing holy water on the congregation from his aspergillum, the parishioners raised their hands. Katie ducked. Paul told her, “Well, so much for them not knowing we’re not Catholic!” Other dates were equally quirky, many involving exploring cemeteries, a favorite genealogical pastime of hers. They enjoyed attending services at Temple Achduth Vesholom in Fort Wayne on more than one occasion. Paul & Katie would have celebrated their 20th anniversary eight days after her death.

Katie’s interests were many. Recognizing the importance of our civic and Christian responsibilities, she took a keen interest in politics, fighting hard for the ‘least of these’ – the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those needing access to health care, the refugee, and the ‘other’ – those marginalized for their race, religion, sexual orientation, or disabilities. She smiled through constant pain from MS, which instilled in her empathy for others’ struggles. That being the case, she was a fervent progressive Democrat, boldly displaying as her Facebook profile picture ‘Proud To Be Everything The Right Wing Hates.’ Though Katie had a heart of gold, she had no tolerance for willfully ignorant people. Raised Mennonite, she adopted her husband’s closely-aligned spirituality, and they were both lay Quaker ministers as members of Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, The Religious Society of Friends (Hicksite). Katie always helped anyone in need, no questions asked, no matter how little she had herself.

Katie was a lover of books (heaven help you if you got her near a bookshop) and had a flair for writing. She was a woman of sharp wit, a loving nature, and was an ‘old soul,’ traits which bonded her to her husband as truly best friends and soulmates. Though years younger than Paul, her knowledge of events and culture of the sixties and seventies was as if she had lived through those times. Also uniting them was the intense interest both had in politics, history, genealogy (she was a relative of the Cadburys and was excited about her descent from British royals and her relationship to literary figures), and the preservation of historical architecture. Both were also Anglophiles – she a tea connoisseur and a fan of Britcoms, especially As Time Goes By - and were fortunate to be able to visit the U.K. on their honeymoon, including a stay in Katie’s ancestral hometown of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, where a local character during an historical reenactment replied, “A pox on your ancestors!” when she told him they were Lancastrians during The Wars of the Roses.

Her favorites in the entertainment industry were George Michael, BTS, Elton John, Hugh Grant, and the M*A*S*H TV series, and she appreciated any Scotsman in a kilt.

Preceding her in death were her parents, both of her siblings, Bill and Bob, and a stillborn son, Charles Douglas Schweikle.

She leaves behind, devastated by her loss, her husband, her two children, Ashleigh Lela Christine (Andrew) Parsons and Samuel Elliott (Brandy Sloan) Schweikle, her beloved granddaughters, Ashlyne Hosler, Eden Hosler, Victoria “Teddy” Parsons, Charlotte Schweikle, and Amelia “Zuzu” Schweikle, her bonus daughter, Michelle Spangler, her long-time friends, Liam Andrews and LaLeasha Frank, all of Van Wert, her adoptive mother, Karen (Beukema) (Dave) Haire of New Carlisle, IN, numerous nephews and nieces, and her cat, Jack.

Katie’s children and grandchildren each meant the world to her. She was always there to listen and give sage counsel, cherishing every moment together, and insisted on sacrificing to shower them with gifts at Christmas. But her most important gift was the love she poured out on them, and they loved their Mom and Grammy in return.

Woozle always looked after and fought for her Pooh. She was his partner, his greatest love, and he will love her for all eternity.

A memorial service will be held at 4 PM Saturday, 20 June, at Brickner Funeral Home, Van Wert, with visitation one hour prior to the service.

Preferred donations in her memory may be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.