Memorable Manitobans: Lawrence Klippenstein (1930-2022)

Lawrence Klippenstein Click to enlarge

Historian, archivist.

Born at Altbergthal on 16 July 1930, he spent two years at the Mennonite Pioneer Mission on Matheson Island then six years at Goshen College before moving to Winnipeg where he taught at the Canadian Mennonite Bible College. He also taught at the Elim Christian Education Centre in Altona and received a doctoral degree in history from the University of Minnesota.

He was the first salaried archivist at the Mennonite Heritage Centre (1974-1997) and was active on committees and boards of the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society and the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada. He co-authored the 1974 book Manitoba Mennonite Memories: A Century Past but not Forgotten with Julius George Toews. He also wrote numerous academic and non-academic articles.

In recognition of his accomplishments as a writer, teacher, researcher, historian, archivist, and linguist of Mennonite culture in Manitoba, he received the Prix Manitoba Award (1998) and the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada Award of Excellence (2017).

In 1956, he married schoolteacher LaVerna June Reimer (1934-2014) and they had a daughter and three sons. He was a member of the Home Street Mennonite Church where he was Adult Sunday School Superintendent.

He died at the St. Boniface Hospital on 18 March 2022.

His articles for the Manitoba Historical Society:

Diary of a Mennonite Delegation, 1873
Manitoba Pageant, Autumn 1972, Volume 18, Number 2

Jacob Y. Shantz - Narrative of a Journey to Manitoba
Manitoba Pageant, Spring 1973, Volume 18, Number 3

Review: The Brauns of Osterwick
Manitoba Pageant, Winter 1974, Volume 19, Number 2

Manitoba Settlement and the Mennonite West Reserve (1875-1876)
Manitoba Pageant, Autumn 1975, Volume 21, Number 1

Western Local Mennonite Teachers' Conference - An Early Minute Book
Manitoba Pageant, Winter 1977, Volume 22, Number 2

The Mennonite Heritage Centre in Winnipeg
Manitoba History, Number 5, Spring 1983

Sources:

Obituary [LaVerna June Klippenstein], Birchwood Funeral Chapel Co-op.

Obituary [LaVerna June Klippenstein], Winnipeg Free Press, 6 March 2014.

Obituary, Birchwood Funeral Chapel Co-op.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 24 March 2022.

“A tribute to Lawrence Klippenstein (1930-2022)” by Alf Redekopp, Mennonite Historian, Volume 48, Number 2, June 2022, pages 6, 11.

We thank Ed Krahn and Ralph Friesen for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 20 July 2022

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!