In the little experience I had with Deej when he was giving me my Slappy (K-Wings mascot) tattoo, you could easily tell that this dude not only had a lot of skill, but a lot of heart. A lot of that time was spent talking about family and friends, and you could tell that this was someone who was living his best life. Crushingly, as many have heard, Deej Joslin unexpectedly passed away December 29th, 2021. This has crippled his family, friends and entire community. There are quite a few people working here at Townsquare Media in Kalamazoo & Battle Creek who knew him and were close to him as well. One woman shared her experience with coping with his passing with a total stranger, which perfectly describes the kind of person Deej was:

When I went to pick up your family’s food tonight I got to chatting with the gal working behind the counter. I told her that this was very special food for a very special family. As we got to talking further she said, is this for DJ Joslin’s family?— tears filled her eyes. Me and this stranger (also named Lindsay) hugged for a while. It was a little comfort from the universe that was much needed. DJ touched so many people. She shared a story of her cat passing away and DJ making time in that same day to tattoo her. That’s what DJ did. He made other people feel good/better. He has a special place in so many hearts.

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Fundraiser For The Family

To manage through the loss of Deej, a fundraiser has been started which has already seen over $16,000 in donations to help cover final expenses, cost of living, travel expenses, and more during this difficult time for the family. DJ is survived by two incredible children.

My last in person experience with Deej, he gave me photos of artwork he had done for woman who had to endure the horrible procedure of getting mastectomies. Deej had been known to do cover up tattoos, large chest pieces and other designs to give hope to those who had gone through so much. It was something he was very proud, yet very humble about. He was the perfect balance, and the community lost an amazing person. Our heart is definitely with his close family and friends as they try to move on from this tragic loss.

If you visit his Facebook, there are hundreds if not thousands of posts of friends remembering this very special person.

Long Gone Bars and Nightclubs in Kalamazoo

Photos of bars and nightclubs that no longer exist in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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