Katherine Alice Chambers

Katherine Alice Chambers, lovingly known as Kathy, passed away after a long and courageous battle with dementia. Born in 1951 in Ithaca, New York, she spent most of her life in Michigan, where she built her family, her career, and the life she loved. Kathy lived a life defined by devotion to her family and to her students. Those who knew her would agree we could not have asked for a better mother.

Kathy filled her sons’ childhoods with fun and unforgettable memories. Countless nights were spent around the table playing board games and cards or watching movies long past bedtime. Kathy never hesitated to allow her sons to host sleepovers that often-included epic all-night gaming, indoor laser tag, and water gun battles. Somehow, she handled the chaos of a house full of teenagers, laughing, competing, and staying up until the wee hours, with patience and good humor. Her home was where friends became family.

After moving back to Michigan, Kathy became a small business owner, operating two beloved retail stores, Wyandotte Wines and The Hobbit Hole. Both businesses thrived and reflected her creativity, warmth, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Following several successful years in business, the stores closed and Kathy began what would become her most meaningful work. After fighting to secure a dyslexia diagnosis and appropriate special education services for her own children, she was inspired to help other families facing similar struggles. She saw firsthand how many school districts failed to provide the one-on-one instruction students with dyslexia needed to succeed, and she was determined to make a difference.

Kathy became an Orton-Gillingham–trained instructor and opened the Downriver office of the Michigan Dyslexia Institute in early 1995. For more than two decades, she devoted herself to individualized instruction for children diagnosed with dyslexia.

Her patience, expertise, and unwavering belief in her students changed lives. Many of the children she taught went on to college and fulfilled careers that would not have been possible without her dedication and encouragement. To her students and their families, she was more than a teacher, she was an advocate, a mentor, and a champion who helped unlock their potential.

Kathy shared more than 40 years of marriage with her loving husband, Lee Nicholson, who survives her.

She was a devoted mother to her three sons: Justin Antoniotti (Katie), Christopher Antoniotti (Doris), and Nick Antoniotti (Jessica). Her sons were the center of her world, and she loved them unconditionally. She was equally proud of her role as grandmother to Josh, Katelyn, Isabella, Zach, and Sara, who brought her immense joy.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Jacqueline, and her brothers, Robert and Thomas.

Though dementia gradually took pieces of her memory, it never erased the love she gave or the extraordinary impact she made. Katherine Alice Chambers will be remembered for her compassion, strength, intelligence, and the countless lives she touched.

Her legacy lives on in her family and in the generations of students who found confidence and opportunity because she believed in them.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Kathy may make donations to the Michigan Dyslexia Institute.