Justin Robert Kirk Dawson's Obituary
Justin Robert Kirk Dawson, 52, of Oakland, California, passed away on April 15, 2026. He was born on June 14, 1973, in San Francisco to Karen Hammerquist and Robert (“Bobby”) Earl Dawson, high school sweethearts from Berkeley High School. In the early 1970s, his parents attended San Francisco State College while living in the Haight-Ashbury. After Justin’s birth, they moved to Berkeley into a home purchased by his beloved grandmother, Peggy “Grammy” Hammerquist.
Justin spent his early childhood in the Bay Area until age five, when he moved to Seattle with his mother Karen, stepfather Scotty, and newborn sister Maya. In 1979, when Justin was almost six, his father Bobby died at age 29—a loss that shaped him for the rest of his life.
Justin attended Seattle schools, made many lifelong friends, and explored a wide range of interests and jobs. He graduated from Garfield High School and was accepted to Hampton University in Virginia, but due to health issues and the birth of his first child, Rashauna (35), followed by his son Jewell (31), he remained in Seattle. His heart always lived in both Oakland and Seattle, and he stayed close to his children and his granddaughters, Delilah (9) and enelope (7). He will sadly miss the birth of his first grandson in May 2026.
In the 1990s, Justin returned to the Bay Area to be near his father’s relatives and his
grandmother. He worked in restaurants, real estate, contracting, and home renovation, eventually founding Urban Estates, which created housing in Oakland neighborhoods. His passion for building, renovating, and reimagining homes was endless.
Justin met and married Norma Parra, and together over 28 years they raised four children: Joseph Villavicencio (30), Joshua Dawson (26), Robert Dawson (deceased in 2019 at age 21), and Carlos Parra Dawson (10). The loss of his son Robert was especially devastating. Though Justin and Norma ended their marriage in 2024, they remained lifelong partners. Later that year, he married his wife, Andrea Jamillo.
Justin will be remembered for his warmth, humor, “old man giggle,” creativity, boundless energy, and brilliant mind. His magnetism, love for people, and big brown eyes made him unforgettable.
He is preceded in death by his son Robert Dawson (21), his father Robert Earl Dawson (29), his stepfather Violet Scott (74), his paternal grandmother Earlene Hagler (92), and his maternal grandfather Joseph Hammerquist (95).
He is survived by his wife, Andrea Jamillo Dawson; his mother, Karen H. Scott; his sister, Maya Scott Martin; his grandmother, Peggy Hammerquist (103); and his children: Rashauna Dawson, Jewell Dawson, Joseph Villavicencio, Joshua Dawson, and Carlos Parra Dawson. He is also survived by many friends, colleagues, and relatives. Justin was a friend to all.
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