Katherine Vlachos

Vlachos, Katherine J. Kalamazoo Kay was born December 27, 1932 in Detroit, MI to Harry and Mary Chames (Atos) and died peacefully on March 23, 2017 at her home in Kalamazoo, MI. Kay attended Jackson High School in Jackson, MI and completed her secondary education at Mary A. Burnham School in Northampton, MA in 1950. She then attended Stephens College in Columbia, MO, receiving her Associate in Arts degree in 1952. Kay completed her formal education by attaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Joseph Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Ann Arbor, MI in 1957. She was married to John N. Vlachos on September 8, 1957. Within a year, Kay had settled in Kalamazoo and ended her short-lived nursing career to begin raising a family of three boys, together with various cats and dogs, with John. In addition to her family responsibilities, Kay was active with Lawyers' Wives of Michigan and was a founding member of the Kalamazoo branch as well as President of the Statewide organization in 1976. Kay was well traveled, visiting Barbados, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey and England several times with John. She spent 10 enjoyable years with John in Saugatuck prior to his death in 1995. Kay enjoyed photography and gardening, but was best known for her love of cooking. She and John loved to entertain and held summer and Christmas parties for many friends, catering the affairs herself. She also enjoyed Michigan football and watching her two youngest sons play hockey through high school. Kay was preceded in death by her husband John, her parents Harry and Mary Chames, her brother Ted Chames, and her in-laws Ted and Cleo Chapekis and Angie Vlachos. She is survived by her sons Nick Vlachos (Anita), Paul Vlachos (Kathi) and Christopher Vlachos (Marcy), grandchildren Zoe Katherine Vlachos, and Elizabeth, Evyn and Cole Vlachos, step-grandchildren Maaike (Jeff), Faye (Thomas) and Merijn, Alex and John as well as five step-great grandchildren, and her nieces and nephews. Kay loved and was well loved, and many of us had the good fortune to be with her in her final weeks and days. Kay has been cremated and her remains will be interred next to her late husband in a private family ceremony with no visitation, pursuant to her wishes. Contributions may be made to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan (http://www.hospiceswmi.org/donations) or Legal Aid of Western Michigan (http://conta.cc/2nn0h0w) in her memory. Arrangements by Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 South 9th Street. To view Kay's personalized guestbook please visit www.langelands.com.