Douglas Alan Chamberlain

Doug is survived by his loving wife Katharine Sellers Staton Chamberlain, son Oliver Douglas Chamberlain, daughters Willa Sellers Chamberlain and Penelope Greene Chamberlain, parents Dale Robert Chamberlain and Sally Anderson Chamberlain, Sister, Rachel Elaine Chamberlain, MD (Bernard Tawfik, MD), brother Todd Andrew Chamberlain, nephews, Luke Bernard and Noah Harold Tawfik.

Douglas “Doug” Alan Chamberlain was born on February 14, 1982, a Valentine’s baby and the first child born to Sally and Dale while living in Florida. The young couple relocated to Raleigh in December of 1982 where they reared their three children. His younger siblings, Rachel and Todd were always a cherished part of his life. Doug had fond memories of family vacations spent in Vero Beach, Florida with his maternal grandparents, where all of the cousins slept on the porch in sleeping bags, and family vacations visiting his paternal grandparents in Canfield, Ohio especially for the 4th of July.

In fifth grade at York Elementary Doug participated in Odyssey of the Mind. Under the leadership of his mother, Sally, his team won the State Championship and went on to the World Championship. Growing up, Doug was an active member of White Memorial Presbyterian Church’s youth group and enjoyed the work on their mission trip to Mexico. In middle school he discovered his love for mountain and road biking, which during this time was considered an alternative sport with few participants in the area. Doug and his father bonded over this new passion as Dale would drive Doug and his friends to races on weekends around the Southeast.

After graduating from Needham Broughton High School in 2000 he graduated with a degree in Industrial Design from Appalachian State University. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and found a brotherhood that continued to blossom after college. During college he worked at Magic Cycles in Boone, NC which further integrated him into his second family, the biking community.

After college he returned home to Raleigh and the common thread of biking not only continued, but strengthened. He began working at the Bicycle Chain on Glenwood Avenue, where his mechanical skills were second nature. He was able to seamlessly combine his passion for bikes and his ability to solve mechanical problems artistically. Here he enthusiastically joined Raleigh’s cycling community and willingly welcomed new bikers to the circle. His friends remember him riding, building and being around bikes, where he wasn’t motivated by the outcome but for the pure joy of the ride. There was not much in his life a bike ride couldn’t cure.

Doug and Katharine’s love started in 2005, after being close friends since highschool. Katharine was drawn to his kind, steady, light-hearted nature, irreverent sense of humor and his love of the outdoors. In Doug, she found her safe-haven and best friend. The couple married in 2010 where Doug walked down the aisle dressed in sneakers, with his father serving as his best man.

Doug transitioned to his field of study in industrial engineering, working at ZigZibit designing and fabricating trade show exhibits. In 2011, the young couple moved to Madison, Wisconsin where Doug took his dream job with Trek Bikes as Project Manager of Global Trade Shows where he designed, managed and directed the installation of global product launches. At Trek he was able to combine his passions for cycling, design and engineering while relishing his time traveling around Europe.

When Katharine became pregnant, the overjoyed couple returned to Raleigh to be surrounded by family and friends. In 2018 Doug went to work at SAS Institute as a Design Project Manager for the company’s trade show industry.

The couple shared 3 beautiful children: Oliver, Willa, and Penelope. As a husband and father, Doug tenderly cared for his wife and cherished holding his infant children as they slept on his chest. As the children grew, Doug was the type of father who made his children’s lunch everyday unbidden, supported his wife’s excessive need for sleep, and welcomed makeovers from his girls with nail polish and hair bows, along with patiently helping Oli with Lego construction. Doug’s ideal day would start by waking with the sunrise, going on a three-hour bike ride with friends followed by an evening around the fire with his family watching nature documentaries. His soul was fulfilled by the simple things in life. Above all, he loved being with those closest to him.

Doug appreciated his father’s dry sense of humor and his endless support; his mother’s cooking and unconditional love, his sister’s sense of humor and long chats, and his brother’s playfulness with his children.

Doug will be remembered for his near-constant smile, his beautiful green eyes, his hearty mouth-wide-open laugh and his love of Seinfeld, Arrested Development or anything Larry David. He was easy-going and a gentle, affectionate friend. He was quick with a joke but also to lend a listening ear, and give giant, tight hugs. At Doug’s core, he was a devoted father, loving husband and a passionate cyclist.

Let us honor his memory by celebrating the laughter, the thoughtful moments and love he shared. May he find peace on his eternal journey, leaving behind a legacy of love and resilience that will forever resonate in the hearts of his family and friends.

The Chamberlains would like to thank family and friends for all the support they have given them during this trying time and to those of you who loved Doug.

Family and friends were invited to attend a memorial service for Doug at White Memorial Presbyterian Church on Monday January 29th, 2024. https://vimeo.com/907609899/f1da8efa84?share=copy

If you cannot attend in person, the service may be joined by livestream by going to whitememorial.org and clicking on LIVESTREAM.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Doug’s honor to the Raleigh biking community at the Oaks and Spokes website (www.oaksandspokes.com).

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