Robert Austin Dawkins

Robert Austin Dawkins passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, January 1, 2019. Robert was born in Atlanta on July 4, 1931 to Edwin P. Dawkins and Bobbie Roberts Dawkins. Robert was a man of impeccable character, had a great sense of humor, was a loving husband and father and a gifted athlete.

Robert loved living in Atlanta and enjoyed attending Braves and Falcons games, coaching youth basketball at church, and playing tennis well into his senior years. He also enjoyed being outdoors, working in his yard, watching basketball, baseball, and football on TV, and spending time with family.

Robert met and ultimately married his high school sweetheart, Edith Walker, on January 15, 1951. Edith said that Robert was very shy around girls and admitted to pursuing him. They often joked about this and did not always agree on the details! A year after they married, Robert and Edith welcomed their first child, Donna followed by Robyn and David. As family expanded with spouses, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, he welcomed and loved them as well. He always made family his highest priority. Edith and Robert remained faithful companions and were together almost every day of their 66 years of marriage. In their last years together, Edith was a loving and patient caretaker of Robert.

Robert and Edith were initially members of Moreland Avenue Baptist Church. When they moved in 1961, they joined Briarlake Baptist Church.

Robert attended Roosevelt High School where he was a star athlete, the first person in Roosevelt to letter in four sports, baseball, basketball, football, and track. Just before high school graduation, Robert signed up to join the Marines. He said he received some special “favor” there due to his being a skilled baseball pitcher, a “lefty!” His excellent athletic abilities provided exciting opportunities for Robert. He met with Coach Bobby Dodd at Georgia Tech and received a letter from him inviting him to join the football team! However, he also had an offer to sign a contract with the Yankees farm team. It was a difficult decision for the 18 year old. Robert finally decided to go with the baseball contract and played semi-pro ball for a number of years. Eventually Robert decided to attend Southern Tech and pursue an engineering career, as baseball was requiring too much travel and time away from his beloved wife and young daughter.

Robert became a successful and skilled mechanical engineer, designing and managing the HVAC and plumbing systems in many well-known building projects in Atlanta including the Georgia Pacific building, original Archives building, Colony Square Hotel, and the IBM Wildwood complex. He also completed projects across the Southeast including the Savannah Airport, buildings at Fort Benning, and a Mecklenburg County justice center project in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Robert is preceded in death by his beloved wife Edith Dawkins, parents Edwin and Bobbie Dawkins, and older brother Edwin Dawkins Jr. Robert is survived by his daughters Donna Glover (Jack), and Robyn Marshall (John), his son David Dawkins, sister-in-law Dale Moss (C.W.), granddaughters Bonnie Milam and Victoria Dawkins, and great grandson Logan McGraw.

A celebration of his life will be held in the chapel at A. S. Turner and Sons with Rev. C. W. Moss officiating. The family will be receiving friends and family Saturday from 10am-11am, prior to the service at 11am.

Service Location: A.S. Turner and Sons / 2773 N. Decatur Road / Decatur, GA 30033

A brief graveside service will be held at Floral Hills Memory Gardens / 3150 Lawrenceville Hwy / Tucker, GA 30084

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation in the name of Robert Dawkins to:

Briarlake Baptist Church
3715 LaVista Road
Decatur GA 30033