Douglas "DJ" Haskins

Douglas "DJ" Haskins

Douglas Jordan “DJ” Haskins of Quincy, age 34, died surrounded by family on May 20, 2025 after what was thought to be a quick trip to the ER but turned into a 60-hour tragedy. The beloved husband of Jillian (Bowles) Haskins. Devoted father of Gavin, Donovan and Sloane. Cherished son of Doug and Lynn (Quagan) Haskins. Protective brother of Nicole Predella and her husband Jeff (Weymouth). Adored nephew of Kelly (Quagan) and Lee Wilbar (Bridgewater MA), Diane (Quagan) and Chris Russell (Carlsbad CA), Diane (Haskins) and Dean Duncan (Rockland MA) and the late Sheryl (Haskins) and late Fred Mahoney (Quincy). Loving cousin of Frank Pagington, Freddie and Melissa Mahoney, Sarah, Bethany, Christina and Abbey Wilbar, Nick, Corey and Rusty Duncan, Max and Zachary Russell. Uncle to 5-month-old Lennon Predella and Great Cousin to Killian and Violet Smith, Koen Russell, and Nora Joan Duncan .

A Hough’s neck resident on Joseph Street all his life, DJ and his children are devoted 6th generation Necka’s. With his wife Jill in 2017, he moved into his Grandparents’ house across the street from his parents to achieve his goal of bringing up his kids where he grew up. There he was able to continue his strong bond with the neighborhood and the Neck.

DJ attended Atherton Hough School, Broad Meadows Middle School, and graduated from Archbishop Williams High School in 2009. At Archies, he was an awarded 3 sport athletes where hockey was his passion, but also Quarterbacked the football teams and played Goalie for the lacrosse team. He later attended Bridgeton Academy in Maine for a post graduate year where he played Hockey and prepared for college. Next, he took a year off academically to play Junior Hockey for the Laconia Leafs in NH before enrolling in Southern New Hampshire University. He graduated in 2014 with a BS in Criminal Justice.

He gravitated to hockey early in life. He started by skating on a small frozen pond in NH during a ski vacation with friends and then it was nonstop roller hockey in the nearby parking lot. He later joined the Quincy Youth Hockey Program and brought his dad on board to help coach. He shared his hockey passion with his sister and by age four she started playing on the same team for years to come and later he encouraged her to play in a boy’s checking league. He excelled at hockey and started playing on the Quincy Travel Team, the Devils in the Metropolitan league, and then in the New England Hockey League in Walpole for many years as well. His hockey family was large and he was always a presence off and on the ice. After college him and his sister joined his dad in the men’s league to play as a line for Stephen Lee’s team in the NESHL.

Growing up in Quincy, he played everything from baseball to lacrosse and would have played football for the Hough's Neck Manets too if he could have done it all. After college, he joined several softball teams, with his favorite being Rags, and he also improved his golf game significantly. When it came to working overtime or playing golf, there was only one option for DJ and it was golf. Recently, he took up bowling with a group of close friends and quickly found his groove there as well. It’s clear he was a natural athlete. His favorite number was #22, but if that wasn’t available, he’d happily settle for #9 or #216, which is the Hough’s Neck bus route.

Growing up, we spent countless summers at the family cottage, the Haskins Hideout, on Big Sandy Pond in Plymouth. His grandparents were always around to keep a watchful eye on everything. Days were spent swimming, water skiing, wake boarding and tubing either with cousins or friends from Joseph Street, the Anastasi’s, who had a cottage across the lake. There was never a dull moment on these fun-filled weekends, which always ended with quiet Sunday night trips home with sleepy kids.

When he met his wife Jill at 17, he expressed how much he couldn’t wait to be a dad in their first conversation. DJ loved being a dad and he would do anything for his kids and family. On nice days, you could find us all out on the street either bike riding, tossing a ball around, and timing the kids as they raced each other. Off the street, he loved fishing with Gavin and teaching the kids how to swim. Donovan, in particular, showed some real athletic talent and DJ was eager to figure out which sport he would excel at. When he asked for his dad’s opinion, his dad told him to go with whatever put the biggest smile on his face. At home, DJ could always be found with a kid or two in his lap most likely watching the Lion King with his baby girl, Sloane. He lived for being the life of the party, lobster dinners, bonfires in his backyard on summer nights, and Jill’s home cooked meals, especially Chicken Parm.

As a kid, work and homework weren’t exactly at the top of his priority list. In fact, getting him to mow his own lawn was a challenge. But everything changed when he landed a job with a landscaping company during the summer between his year on the Leaf’s and college. He threw himself into that job, working hard for several years—even braving snowstorms to plow and shovel. After college, he applied for several jobs but couldn’t picture himself behind a desk and that is when he decided to pursue a career in trades. When he got the call from Iron Workers Local 7, he jumped all in excelling in training and became a proud Journeyman.

The family extends its thanks to his awesome team at BIDMC-MICU-C for their compassionate care, extraordinary measures and patience. Their heroic efforts were remarkable, which provided family and friends comfort and allowed more precious time to be with DJ during his final moments.

DJ was bold, fearless, and unforgettable. He had a loud and daring spirit that was impossible to overlook. He had a fierce love for his family and friends, always ready to stand by them no matter what.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visiting hours on Tuesday May 27, 2025 from 4-8 PM in the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock St., QUINCY. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 prior to the Funeral Mass in Holy Trinity Parish in Most Blessed Sacrament Church, Quincy at 10:30 AM. Burial in Pine Hill Cemetery, Quincy.

You can support his kids by contributing using this link: https://gofund.me/ac55c2a6

Friends and Family are planning a fund-raising Golf Tournament in 2026 to help support the trust fund being set up for the kids.

https://gofund.me/966213af