Donald A.
Ploegman
06/20/1950 – 09-16-2021
The final checkered flag dropped for our close friend, crew chief, mentor and best mechanic ever. Donald Ploegman peacefully fell into the arms of our Lord prior to the night of Thursday 09-16-2021. He will be greatly missed by everyone in the racing community especially the Wessel Family. Don was a member of Sports Car Club of America and Great Lakes Sport Car Club. He spent many years racing his Ford Pinto and later GT1 Pontiac Trans Am. The last few years he spent helping Daryl Wessel building various race cars and then moved to helping and mentoring David and Lauren Wessel in their racing starts. His final race was last weekend at the Milwaukee Mile which was close to his heart.
Don was retired from Ameritech after 30 years. He and his parents enjoyed spending summers at their campsite in the Wisconsin Dells and winters camping at Walt Disney World in Florida.
He will be greatly missed by his close friends, family, neighbors and compound of racing friends. He was predeceased by his parents Clayton and Catherine Ploegman who were also a big part of the racing community of Midwestern Council of Sport Car Clubs and SCCA.
In lieu flowers, donations in Don’s name can be made to Make a Wish foundation or Saint Gregory the Great Parish, Milwaukee.
A visitation will be held at Heritage Funeral Home (6615 W. Oklahoma Ave.) on Thursday, September 23, from 5-6pm. A funeral service will follow at 6pm. Interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Milwaukee.
I only knew Don a few short years. He was a great helping us sort out Alan Kulwicki’s NASCAR. Don knew his “stuff”! I’ve seen some of his designing and fabrication work. An unbelievably talented man! He will be missed by many! God Speed!
Don was my mentor in my early days of racing. He would do anything for me in those early days including taking care of our infant twins while my wife and crew chief, Judy took care of me while I practiced and raced. Later we and his parents spent time camping in the Dells. We lost track of each other for a few years and just caught up in 2021. One of the good ones. He will be missed.