Lawyer, historian.
Born at Steinbach on 6 March 1948, son of Jacob and Gretrude Plett, he was educated at Blumenort School and the University of Manitoba, receiving a law degree from the latter in 1972. He practiced law at Steinbach from 1973 to 2004, working after 1975 with the firm of Plett, Goossen, and Associates. In 1992, he was made a Queen’s Counsel. He was active in land development in southeastern Manitoba where he was one of the largest landowners. He was active in politics, serving as a campaign manager in provincial and federal elections during the 1980s.
He was an active researcher on the history of Mennonites who immigrated to Canada from Russia in the 1870s, writing 14 books on the subject and also publishing works by others. He served as Chairman of the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society and organized the Hanover-Steinbach Historical Society (renamed the Flemish Mennonite Historical Society in 2003). He served as Editor of the historical magazine Preservings. In 1996, he founded the D. F. Plett Historical Research Foundation.
He died at Steinbach on 4 November 2004 and was buried in the Steinbach Heritage Cemetery.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 6 November 2004.
“Noted historian, lawyer dies at 56,” The Carillon, 11 November 2004, page 5A.
Obituay, The Carillon, 11 November 2004, page 14A.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 9 August 2015
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