Quentin David Guy

Reflections of a beautiful boy

Our hearts are broken of the loss of our dear sweet Quentin David Guy, born on January 25, 2002, and died on January 29, 2025, at the age of 23. A boy who savored life!

Surviving are his parents Trudi Reed and Dwayne Guy.; his sister, Tianna Guy, his brother, Al-Amin Reed.

His loving maternal grandparents (Known as nana and papa), Dave and Deb Mraz Semmelroth. Paternal grandparents, Tony and Barb Guy, as well as many aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends.

Those left before him are his great grandparents, Bill and Nancy Mraz; and Max and Bev Semmelroth. His uncle, David Semmelroth jr, his aunt, April Guy, his great aunt Sharon Mraz and great uncle Sonny Mraz, and his puppy, Hope.

Quentin attended North Star Academy from K-8th grade and graduated from East High School-Duluth in 2021. He had attended Lake Superior College. Quentin was employed by Cirrus Aircraft as a technician. He was proud of his work and spoke often of his future possibilities in the company. Quentin was loved deeply by his Cirrus work colleagues, he spoke so highly of the camaraderie and compassion for them, the phone calls received on some of his rough days were so appreciated.

His high school friendships offered respect and care with each other through cooking together, fishing, sitting around a campfire, riding motorcycles, and going on vacations. Quentin built friendships and teamwork through playing Wolfpack Lacrosse, East High football and snowboarding. Quentin had a band of brothers and sisters who he spent quality time.

Quentin loved being at the cabin- his cabin he would say. The cabin has been a safe and healing place allowing friends and family to come and enjoy his cabin on the lake. Quentin has spent this past summer on the addition project at the cabin; learning carpentry skills from his papa, painting, organizing, and working hard with a smile on his face. He always said he loved to work! Cabin life brought wakeboarding, tubing with friends and family, fireworks, s’mores, and laughter. The Fourth of July was open to all friends and family and Quentin loved to share this life with them.

He was an experiential learner; from drawing, to creating on the sewing machine, to baking an apple roll-over, to sanding and buffing airplanes, as he learned best by doing. When he was in 8th grade, he was selected for the Leadership award which offered mentoring and group projects in the Duluth area, his team created a sweet space at the Duluth Zoo. Quentin was a quiet leader and found pleasure in creating.

One summer, Quentin spent six weeks volunteering at Trout Lake Bible Camp working in various ways, from cleaning bathrooms to assisting counselors. Each weekend his nana and papa would pick him up and go to the cabin to do his laundry. He always said he got homesick.

We traveled on many family vacations throughout the United States; however, Quentin developed a soft spot for Florida and had planned to vacation with his family this April. Also, he traveled with a group of friends to Puerto Rico and loved the simplicity of life there.

Quentin offered encouragement, light, smiles, a helping hand, a quiet spirit, an old soul, humor, unconditional love, a laugh like no other, and so many other qualities. He enjoyed many genres of music and books. He wrote notes of what he read to capture the essence. A beautiful spirit filled with love.

We recognize the fragilities of this life as well as the preciousness of time and love. Francis Weller wrote “no one goes in search of loss; rather, it finds us and reminds us of the temporary gift we have been given, these few sweet breaths we call life”. Quentin found sweet breaths around him in so many aspects; through a good meal, an inspiring leadership book, his dog Hope, helping and learning skills from his papa, golfing with his friends and papa, deep and meaningful conversations with his sister, offering his brother wisdom, tending to his prized car, drawing, sitting with his nana having hot tea and pondering life, and hugging his mama.

There are multiple ways one can savor life however, as most of us realize there are moments in life which cause pause, frustrations, exhaustion, loneliness and depression… these are the times we think others are less likely to want us around, and yet these are the times that deeply impact us to the core. If we are gentle with another and love anyway, if we are patient with another and seek gentle ways to care, if one is able to say I need you! Please never give up!

So many loving people surrounded Quentin and yet one act that changed it all. Our questions of why will not end- why leave behind a family who deeply and profoundly loves you, why? Recognizing those of us left behind will be questioning and seeking answers that do not exist. We can be assured that we loved fiercely -that we don’t know another’s pain totally but through small gestures, we help another. If you are struggling in life and are without answers, please know you are not alone. Imperfection is in this life, we do not have to have it perfectly put together, we can learn from each other and believe we are worth it! Let’s not allow another to create in one’s mind that they are not enough, instead see strengths in another and recognize the beauty of each of us. Help another rise.

The emptiness of grief…our hearts will never be the same…Quentin was our light in so many ways- our life has been forever blessed by him. So many aspects of him to share and yet, we will keep him deep in our hearts, minds and souls forever. As we come together, to mourn and honor Quentin’s life, please bring an electric candle, light this candle and be a light to another as you honor Quentin. If you have been a part of his life, we thank you… it is never too late to be the light for another. In darkness, we notice the light more. Quentin, you so LOVED and, in our hearts, forever.

Visitation: Williams Lobermeier Boettcher Funeral Home, Duluth, on Sunday, Feb 16, 2025, from 3-5 pm. 

Mourning and honoring services: Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Duluth, on Monday, Feb 17, 2025, 4 pm service with visitation 1 hour prior and meal to follow.

Pallbearers: Al-Amin Reed, Khloey Malkovich, Parker Raymond, Joshua Ankrum, Austin Velander, Dillion O’Brien (serving our country), Kayden Johnson, Joshua Prudhomme, Paul Neumann, Landon Blais, and Eli Edholm. Honorary Pallbearer: David Semmelroth, jr. (our angel). Please visit www.wlbfuneralhome.com to leave words of condolence. Arrangements by Williams Lobermeier Boettcher Funeral Home. 3208 West 3rd Street, Duluth, MN 55806.