Dorothy Hawkins Tarleton

Dorothy Hawkins Tarleton, age 73, of Midlothian died suddenly on December 26, 2022. Born on October 8, 1949 in Charlottesville, she was the daughter of the late Hugh Morris Hawkins and Dorothy Armour Tarleton. Her maternal grandparents, Rev. Robert Tarleton and Julia Armour Tarleton, and paternal grandparents Hugh R. Hawkins and Mae Gleason Hawkins, also predeceased her.

Dot was independent, strong and determined. Nothing demonstrated these qualities better than her pursuit of higher education while raising a family and working full time. She attended St. Anne’s Belfield School and Lane High School and then took classes whenever and wherever she could. Over time, she earned an associate degree in Business Administration from Piedmont Virginia Community College, a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University, and a master’s degree in Education and Human Development from George Washington University.

Dot put this hard-earned education into practice during a long and varied career in human resources, workforce training and development, experiential learning, and higher education. Beginning as an administrative assistant at the McIntyre School of Commerce of the University of Virginia, the extensive range of her interests and skills was reflected in the diversity of the organizations she served:

Centel, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and Comdial Corporation. She established her own firm as an organizational and training consultant for corporations and government entities, and she taught on the faculties of Piedmont Virginia Community College and the College of Business at James Madison University. Her career came full circle when she retired as the Assistant Director of the Center for Career Development at the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Dot was talented, creative, artistic, and had a life-long love of dance. Growing up she learned ballet, tap, and jazz with Alice Shisler, and later became an instructor at her dear friend and mentor’s dance academy.

Her love of travel and the great outdoors was another facet of Dot’s lovely, joyous, and adventurous spirit. Whether participating in Outward Bound and Master Gardener programs, traveling to Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, or just walking by the James River, Dot found peace and fulfillment.

In retirement Dot discovered the thrill of throwing pots! For her this process was transformative, taking clay and molding something functional and long lasting. Her joy was making it and giving it to someone she loved. Most family and friends use at least one of Dot’s pots.

Most of all Dot loved the shocked and saddened family she leaves behind to cherish her memory: her devoted husband of 41 years, Martin A. Beekman; her brother, Hugh M. Hawkins, Jr. (Debbie); her sons, D. Palmer Gleason, Trevor Elliott T. Gleason (Celeste), and David J. Beekman (Jessica). The lights of her life over her last years were the grandchildren on whom she doted: Devon, Fox, Lara, Josephine, and Jacob.

A celebration of Dot’s life is being planned for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity: Richmond Metropolitan Habitat, richmondhabitat.org/donate, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, cvillehabitat.org/donate, or the charity of your choice.