Dawn Renee Elkins

April 15, 1971 – December 6, 2025

Dawn Renee Elkins entered this world on April 15, 1971, in Alton, Illinois, born to Peter and Patricia Bruce. She passed from this life on December 6, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of humor, heart, and unwavering love. She is survived by her mother, Patricia; her sister, Amy Guevara; her four children—Duane “DJ” Elkins, Courtney Elkins, Esmerelda Gonzales, and Santana Gonzales; her grandchildren, Ritchie, April, and Roxanne; and her devoted life partner, Gilbert. She is reunited in peace with her father, Peter Bruce.

When Dawn was ten years old, her family moved to Texas City, Texas, where her imagination blossomed and her humor took root. Even as a little girl, she saw the world through her own magical lens. In church, she filled the sanctuary with vivid interpretations: mistaking the hidden choir for a chorus of angels and, in a moment of pure childhood honesty, leaning into the aisle to exclaim, “Shut up, God!” when the pastor spoke too long. She believed deeply—even then—just in her own wonderfully Dawn way.

Her creative stories followed her throughout childhood. She and Amy once insisted lightning had struck the house to explain a broken Nintendo, a tale her father met with a knowing stare. Another time, the sisters inspired a tale of a supposed break-in, hoping to convince their parents to move back to Illinois. Dawn’s imagination was boundless, mischievous, and unforgettable.

In high school, Dawn played the clarinet in the Texas City High School Band, cheered with the Spiritleaders, and spent countless hours at local arcades—a place where Pac-Man and Q*Bert lit up her evenings and sparked a lifelong love of games.

After graduating, she met Duane Elkins Sr. at the Pizza Inn. They married in 1990 and welcomed DJ and Courtney into the world. Dawn worked tirelessly to keep food on the table and joy in her home. She told her children from the very beginning, “I don’t care what crimes you commit—you will always be welcome in my house.” It was a promise, a shield, and a testament to how fiercely she loved.

Dawn cherished simple joys with her kids—Friday night cartoons with DJ, countless rounds of Crash Bandicoot with Duane and DJ, paydays traded for arcade tokens and bright-eyed kids by her side, and bedtime stories filled with magic as she read Harry Potter aloud.

Life led Dawn down new paths, and after she and Duane separated, she welcomed two more children—Esmerelda and Santana—into her arms and into her heart. With Santana, she shared her faith: reading scripture, praying long into the day, and singing along to Christian music on K-LOVE. With Esmerelda, she shared laughter, baking, and warm-hearted teasing—a game the two of them played better than anyone.

She took Courtney and Esmerelda for nail days at Walmart, watched ghost-hunting shows with Courtney, and filled her home with memories stitched from everyday moments—moments her children will carry forever.

Dawn loved Jesus deeply and steadfastly. Her relationship with Christ was both her refuge and her compass. She prayed with passion, read her Bible with devotion, and lived with a quiet trust that shaped every season of her life.

In her evenings, after long days of work, Dawn found peace in the comfort of her recliner—phone in hand, Gilbert by her side, and a movie glowing softly in the room. It was in these gentle rhythms that she found rest, joy, and companionship.

In 2025, shortly before her passing, Dawn began yet another new chapter of her life. She enrolled in the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts with dreams of owning her own bakery—one she hoped to build and run with her children. It was a dream fueled by love, creativity, and a desire to leave something warm and lasting in the world.

Dawn’s laughter, her storytelling, her strength, her faith, and her fierce love remain forever etched into the lives she touched. Though she has gone home to rest, her love continues—warm as sunlight, bright as her name.

May her memory be a blessing, and may her spirit shine on in all who loved her.