My Brother

A Word Portrait of Quentin

Quentin Martha was born in Sibley, Iowa on 25 March 1906, he was the third son of Carl Jerry Bremmer and Lucy Methesmith Sharpe. I do not know where the name Quentin came from, but Martha was grandmother Bremmer’s name and she insisted that this child be named after her. The middle name soon became M.

Quentin, was a sweet, good natured little boy. He was very quiet, well mannered, shy and deeply religious.

One day mother noticed a large black and blue mark on his shoulder where his violin rested. He told her that he had these marks over all his body. Taken to the doctors immediately, he was diagnosed as having a serious blood disease and the outlook was not good. Mother and dad made countless trips with him to Mayo Brothers Clinic and Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. The doctors there, from the very first visit, gave the folks absolutely no hope for this sick little boy, but mother and dad could not give up.

For one year, our whole life centered on Quentin and attempting to make his days and nights easier. He gradually grew worse and just two days before sister Glee’s fifteenth birthday he died at home with parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters with him.

My parents grief is had to describe. They really never recovered from the loss of this twelve year old son.

This death certificate dated 6 September 1918, states cause of death:

Purpura Hemorrhagica, complicating Leukemia. He is buried in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Written by Winnifred Jones

Quentin Martha Bremmer