Elijah Hawkins

December 13, 1952 – October 18, 2026

Elijah Hawkins Jr., known to some as Irvin, was born on December 13, 1952, at 8:20 a.m. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Mercedes Hawkins (née Clarkston) and Elijah Hawkins Sr. He was the first of two children. He spent his early childhood in Metairie, Louisiana, before moving with his family to Berkeley, California. Though the move was not his choice at the time, California would become home for much of his life. Elijah was outgoing, jovial, and quick with a joke. He loved a good time, enjoyed making people laugh, and seemed to make friends wherever he went. He was generous to a fault, the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back or the last of whatever he had. He also believed in speaking his mind and being candid, never one to keep his thoughts to himself.

Elijah attended Washington Elementary School in Louisiana, followed by Garfield Junior High School and Berkeley High School, both in Berkeley, graduating in 1970. He went on to attend California State University, Hayward (now California State University, East Bay), graduating in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in Business and a concentration in Marketing.

After college, Elijah built a career in sales, working for several companies before becoming self-employed. He was an excellent salesman who took pride in his work. He enjoyed looking sharp and appreciated nice things. He also loved spending time with people. In the Bay Area, he was a familiar face at his cousin Denise Heard's Lakeside Lounge, where he enjoyed the company and camaraderie of friends.

Elijah married Joan Hawkins (née Richards) on June 29, 1986. Together, they welcomed a son, Elijah Hawkins III, and a daughter, Mercedes Hawkins Strah. Although their marriage ended in 2002, they maintained a cooperative co-parenting relationship, continuing to share in the lives of their children and, in time, their grandchildren. They remained connected through the family they had built together.

Faith was an important and deeply personal part of Elijah's life. He read the Bible every morning and prayed every night, getting down on his knees despite his age, health, and any physical discomfort. More than a decade ago, he told his daughter that he had read the entire Bible approximately ten times. He continued reading scripture throughout his life, and it is likely that number only grew. He often encouraged those he loved to read it for themselves and returned to scripture for meaning and perspective. One passage that remained especially meaningful to him was Job 38, in which God asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Elijah shared this passage with Joan and his daughter at different points in his life, reflecting how deeply it resonated with him. He was drawn to its reminder of the vastness of God's power and creation, and the humility with which people must approach what they cannot fully understand. Though he was not a regular churchgoer in adulthood, his daily reading and prayer reflected a faith he carried with him throughout his life.

In 2025, Elijah moved to Michigan to enjoy his retirement and be closer to his daughter and her family. True to form, he did what he did best: he made friends. He quickly became a familiar face at Gregory's in Lansing, where he found new companionship and community, especially through the Monday night card games.

Elijah faced significant health challenges over the years, including two heart attacks approximately fifteen years ago. More recently, he had been diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm and needed a pacemaker. Despite these health challenges, he often appeared well to those around him. He continued to enjoy life and the company of others, cherishing the time he had without knowing how much was left. On October 17, 2026, he suffered a severe heart attack, which led to cardiac arrest and a prolonged loss of oxygen to the brain. This resulted in an irreversible loss of brain function. He was formally pronounced deceased on October 20, 2026, at 1:03 p.m. at University of Michigan Health-Sparrow in Lansing, Michigan. On October 24, 2026, Elijah became an organ donor, giving many organs to help others. Despite once joking that he didn't think a doctor would find much to donate, his final gift proved otherwise.

Elijah is reunited in heaven with his mother, Mercedes Hawkins; his father, Elijah Hawkins Sr.; his sister, Gwendolyn Hawkins; and his maternal and paternal grandparents.

His legacy lives on through his son, Elijah Hawkins III, and grandson, Messiah Hawkins, of Walnut Creek, California; his daughter, Mercedes Hawkins Strah, her husband, Andrew Marvel Hawkins Strah, and their daughter, Sage Strah, of Vicksburg, Michigan; and his nephew, Quincy Stone, of Oakland, California. He is also lovingly remembered by his aunt, Ruby, of Louisiana; his cousins, Brenda Nelson, Denise Heard, and Jeff Hawkins, of Oakland, California; and the many extended family members, friends, and acquaintances whose lives he touched across California, Michigan, Louisiana, and beyond.

Elijah's legacy is not only found in the people he leaves behind, but in the lives he helped shape. Through his children and grandchildren, his family continues to carry his story forward. Through the friendships he built, the laughter he shared, the generosity he showed, and the lives touched by his final gift of organ and tissue donation, his influence reaches beyond his own lifetime. He leaves behind more than memories; he leaves a part of himself in the people who knew and loved him.

Services are tentatively planned for November 11, 2026. The time and additional details regarding the service, burial, and livestream will be shared once arrangements are finalized.

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…”

— Bessie Anderson Stanley, Success

Services Pending