Joseph J. Haskins Jr.

Joseph J. Haskins, Jr. died on December 27, 2025 after a brief illness. Born in Teaneck, NJ on December 18, 1957, Joe resided in Bergen County for his entire life, and happily called Ridgewood his home for the past 24 years. He is survived by his beloved wife of 29 years Lorraine, cherished daughter Madeleine, and his dog Blaze. Joe is also survived by sister Maryanne Malone (James) of Waleska, GA, and brother Timothy Haskins (Adrienne) of Woodstock, GA. He is also survived by father-in-law Peter Rizzo of Wekiva Springs, FL, and aunt Madeleine Rizzo of Orlando, FL. Joe is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. His memory will live on in the hearts and minds of those who were lucky enough to know and love him.

Joe was an attorney in private practice for over 30 years, in addition to his work as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall Law School for two decades. He was man of tremendous faith who was a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ridgewood, NJ, as well as a former lay director of Men's Cornerstone.

Joe grew up in Bogota, NJ, and attended grammar and middle school at St. Joseph's, where he proudly received the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage. He attended Bogota High School, where he was captain of the cross country running team, but where he was best known for his beautiful singing voice on the high school stage. He would joyfully recall memories of the musicals he performed in, such as "Brigadoon", "Oklahoma!", and "Guys and Dolls". But his favorite performance was in a community theater production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", where he played the lead role. His musical journey continued after high school graduation when he began playing music in clubs around Bergen County, with acoustic guitar in tow, along with a devoted collection of friends who would attend all of his gigs. A practical man at heart, Joe pivoted from making music and returned to school in pursuit of his college degree. He attended Bergen Community College, continued on to Rutgers University to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, and completed his education at Fordham Law School, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1986. In his first few years as an attorney, Joe worked at a number of prestigious NJ law firms. In 1993 he decided to "hang a shingle" and established himself in private practice, followed by the creation of his successful solo practice in Hackensack in 1999.

In the twilight of his life, Joe returned to his musical roots, which lay dormant for nearly 30 years as he focused on family and work life. He was asked to join a local band, Acoustic Dudes, after the bandleader heard Joe stun a gathering of friends at a karaoke event with his powerful rendition of a U2 song. Since 2023, Joe and his fellow Acoustic Dudes have forged a partnership that transcends music, becoming a brotherhood connected by love, respect, and the pursuit of excellence. Many joyful days and nights were spent with his musical family, with Joe on vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harmonica, and piano… all self-taught. While Joe was very content being at home in Ridgewood playing chess on his phone, he was also an enthusiastic world traveler who shared many journeys with Lorraine and Madeleine. Visits to Europe were his favorite: Italy, Spain, Iceland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, England, Portugal, Netherlands, even spelunking in Slovenia. But Ireland was where his heart truly belonged, with trips made "over home" beginning with Joe and Lorraine's honeymoon in 1996, and many trips thereafter with daughter Madeleine. A lifelong Jersey boy, Joe found tremendous joy at his beloved shore house in Spring Lake Heights, NJ. Over 20 years of magnificent memories were made on the Spring Lake beaches and in the cozy spaces of the home where every room has a shade of blue to evoke the colors of the Atlantic Ocean. We will forever miss this kind, hardworking, brilliant, funny, talented, faithful, and loving man, but as a friend and fellow musician recently noted, "I guess God was in need of a good guitar player and singer."

Joe was was predeceased by his mother Joan (nee Lennon) Haskins in 1988, his father Joseph J. Haskins, Sr. in 1999, and his longed for child lost to miscarriage, Aidan Peter Haskins in 2005.

A visitation will be held at the Feeney Funeral Home, 232 Franklin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ, on Tuesday, January 6, 2025 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. A Catholic Mass and celebration of Joe's life will be held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 1 Passaic Street, Ridgewood, NJ, on Wednesday, January 7, 2025 at 10:00 am. Interment to follow at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations in Joe's memory to Ceol na nGael ("Music of the Irish") at WFUV.org