Among Russian Mennonites, Epp is one of the best known poets and story tellers working in Plautdietsch, alongside Arnold Dyck and Jack Thiessen.[1] His accomplishments include publications on the history of Plautdietsch and on its orthography. Epp's name is rendered "Ruben Ap" in Plautdietsch.
Epp was educated as a mechanic and became an instructor at a vocational school for mechanics. Later he became the director of a vocational school in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Epp died in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada in 2009.
Works
Biem Aunsiedle: When the settlers came; plautdietsche Jechichte een Resse ut'e Vergangenheit (Winnipeg, Canada 1972)
Onse Lied Vetahle [Audio Archive]: Stories our people tell; plautdietsche Jeschichte enn Riemsels (Winnipeg, Manitoba 1973)
The Story of Low German and Plautdietsch: Tracing a Language Across the Globe (Hillsboro, USA 1993) ISBN0-9638494-0-9
The Spelling of Low German & Plautdietsch: Towards An Official Plautdietsch Orthography (Hillsboro, USA 1996) ISBN0-9638494-1-7
Dit un jant opp Plautdietsch: This and that in Mennonite Low German (Hillsboro, USA 1997) ISBN0-9638494-2-5
Dit un Jant opp Plautdietsch [CD, 17 pieces by Reuben Epp, live recording, lecture on October 7, 2000 in Lage/Lippe, Germany], published by Plautdietsch-Freunde e. V. (Detmold 2006)