Carolyn Ann Hatley

In the early morning hours of Thursday August 14, 2025 Carolyn Ann Hatley, 86, of State College, accepted her beloved, Oscar Elwood Hatley's offer to dance among the heavens, the moon, and stars. She is reunited with her high school sweetheart and one true love.
Carolyn was born November 20, 1938, in Albemarle, NC, she was the daughter of the late George C. and Mary S. Smith Hatley. On September 6, 1959 she married O. Elwood Hatley at the Friendship Methodist Church in Albemarle, NC. Elwood preceded her in death on October 19, 2017. They were married for 58 years at the time of his passing.
Carolyn met the love of her life, Elwood, when she was a sophomore in High School and he was a senior. After high school, Carolyn attended nursing school in Chapel Hill, NC. She had been a nurse for several years, when she and Elwood left North Carolina for West Lafayette, IN, where Elwood received his PhD in Agronomy. She became the Director of Nursing at Good Samaritan Hospital, in West Lafayette.
In 1971 the family moved to Guelph, Ontario, Canada, where Elwood began his academic career, at the University of Guelph. Carolyn continued her nursing career, while also serving on the Board of Directors for The Humane Society and Kortright Waterfowl Park, she was very proud of the fact that she was able to work with world renowned artist, Robert Bateman, during her time with Kortright. Carolyn's love for animals made her the neighborhood contact whenever anyone found a stray or injured animal. She and Elwood took numerous animals to the vet and even paid to have several animals spayed/neutered. She treasured her time in Canada and the dear friendships she made while she was there. Especially with the Andersons, whose daughter Cathy, is Carolyn's Goddaughter.
In 1978 Elwood accepted a position as a Professor of Agronomy at Penn State University, so the family returned to the United States. Carolyn began her career at IntraCorp, where she was a Rehabilitation Specialist/Case Manager. She spent 15 years traveling all over the State seeing severely injured clients and coordinating their care. She would drive over seven mountains while listening to truckers on her CB radio. Her call name was "Keystone Rebel". While with IntraCorp, Carolyn won many Awards for her exemplary work. Elwood loved to travel with her to those awards ceremonies. She continued to climb the corporate ladder retiring in 2002 as a Regional Director for Cigna Corporation.
Carolyn loved nature, travelling the world and the Arts. She was a member of the National Wildlife Museum, the Nature Conservancy, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and served on the Board for ClearWater Conservancy. She was described, by Deb Nardone, former Executive Director, at ClearWater Conservancy, as a "champion for conservation." She and Elwood played a vital role in securing the protection of Nittany Noll, Meyer Dairy, Millbrook Marsh and the Barrens to Bald Eagle Wildlife Corridor. Hundreds of acres are permanently conserved in Happy Valley due to Carolyn's passion for conserving open space and protecting wildlife. The week before her passing, she attended the ground breaking for ClearWater's new Community Conservation Center. The facility will feature the Reception Area named in honor and memory of Carolyn and Elwood, who will always be remembered as ClearWater's closest friends, biggest cheerleaders and greatest champions.
Carolyn was also a Docent at the Pennsylvania State University Art Museum and was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in State College, for over 40 years.
She is survived by her two daughters, Leslie Ann Peters and her husband Steven of Aurora, CO, and Catherine Ann Felker of Chester, MD; four grandchildren, Amanda Kaufmann and her husband Charlie, Noah Peters, Gabriel Felker and his fiancée Abby Minnich, and Jackson Felker; and two great-grandchildren, Hunter Jeffrey and Piper Ann Kaufmann. She was preceded in death by three siblings, her twin brother Clay Van, and her younger sisters, Judy and Nancy.
There will be a memorial service at 10:00 am on Tuesday September 30, 2025 at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 208 W. Foster Ave., State College, with Father Jeffrey Packard officiating.
Inurnment will be in St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial contributions be made, in her name, to Clearwater Conservancy at clearwaterconservancy.org/donate and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, at standrewsc.org.
Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.