October 22, 1975 - July 4, 2020
Quentin Damarcus Ergane Johnson transcended this life on July 4, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Quentin was born on October 22, 1975 in Bennettsville, South Carolina to the parents Martha Johnson (Sample) and the late David Emmanuel. Q was raised in a family of strong women, which included grandmother, Barbara, and aunts, Wenona and Felecia.

Q received their primary and secondary education through the Marlboro County School District. While in high school, Quentin was a member of the Marlboro Players, having roles in "The Taming of The Shrew" and "Wait Until Dark" productions. They were also active in the chorus at MCHS, taking 2nd Place Tenor in the statewide competition.

After graduating from Marlboro County High School in 1993, Quentin attended the University of South Carolina, where they studied Music Performance, Theater, and Creative Writing. Q was an active participant in the Carolina Alive! show choir and a member of the Bisexual, Gay, & Lesbian Alliance (BGLA). They would spend time with college friends at various Columbia, SC staples, such as Art Bar, Nickelodeon Theatre, Metropolis, Alley Cat Cafe, and Cool Beans Coffee House.

After graduating in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in English with an Emphasis in Writing, Q moved from Columbia, South Carolina to Seattle, Washington and joined AmeriCorps. Que also briefly worked in Tucson, Arizona, where they performed with the LGBTQ+ musical group Desert Voices. Que would eventually return to Seattle and make it their home.

Living in Seattle, Quentin coordinated and taught literacy classes to elementary aged children and later worked as a Residential Case Manager at the Community House Mental Health Agency (CHMHA). Q also became an active social justice advocate, working on behalf of LGBTQ+ homeless youth, HIV awareness, queer rights, and community-based responses to racism and poverty. As part of these efforts, Que volunteered at various organizations throughout the Seattle-King County Metro area, including Lambert House, Solid Ground, and Northwest Harvest.

Que was also active in the arts, singing with the Seattle Men's Chorus, the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Chorus, and most recently Puget SoundWorks. Que was known in the burlesque community as Bitchez Snapz and, among Radical Faeries, Que went by Songbird. Some of Q's fondest memories were from Radical Faeries retreats in Breitenbush. Their contributions to beauty and justice went beyond the walls of any single organization or artistic style. Q was an avid crocheter, tea connoisseur, lover of Tori Amos music, and poetry. Que believed in the power of love and would share their advice and affirmations to all who would listen.

On July 4th 2020, Quentin - affectionately known by friends and family as Q, Que, and Ergane - passed away at home in Seattle, WA.

Family members left to cherish their memories of Quentin include grandmother Barbara Johnson of Bennettsville, SC; mother Martha Sample of Florence, SC; aunts Felecia (Cedric) Stubbs of High Point, NC and Wenona (Jeffrey) McCall, Henrietta (James) McRae of Bennettsville, SC and Cheryl Clark of Buffalo, NY; several cousins, and two Grand aunts Annie Jeffrey of Bennettsville, SC and Martha Williams of High Point, NC.

Q was a friend to strangers, lovers, colleagues, and admirers from all over. We can commemorate the light that Que brought to the world through a favorite quote of theirs: "I don't know you, but I am certain I'd love you." A private Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, July 25, 2020 at the home of Jeffery and Wenona McCall on 208 Rogers Street in Bennettsville, SC. Arrangements are currently being made for a broader online memorial service for friends of Q in August. Please email quentinergane@gmail.com to receive updates about attending.

If you would like to make a donation in Q's honor, please consider the following organizations:

Donate to Lambert House: http://www.lamberthouse.org/giving

Donate to Solid Ground:

https://www.solid-ground.org/donate/honor-someone-special/

Donate to Northwest Harvest:

https://www.northwestharvest.org/donate-now