Peters, Don Clayton (1931-2006)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2006 Jun 5 p. 8

Birth date: 1931 Sep 1

DON CLAYTON PETERS

Don Clayton Peters, 74, died May 19, 2006, in Stillwater, Okla. He was born Sept. 1, 1931, to David C. and Lena (Bartel) Peters near Corn.

He graduated from Corn Bible Academy in 1949. He graduated from Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan., in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in biology.

He met Frieda Dick of Ferndale, Wash., at Tabor, and they were married on July 14, 1953. She preceded him in death in 2005.

They lived at Manhattan, Kan., from 1953-57, while he attended Kansas State University and received his master’s and doctoral degrees in entomology. After teaching at Tabor College in the spring of 1957, he became assistant professor of entomology at the University of Missouri. In 1959 they moved to Iowa State University, where he worked in the department of zoology and entomology. On Jan. 1, 1971, he became professor and head of entomology at Oklahoma State University. He left administration in 1984 and focused on greenbug research until his retirement in 1997.

He was baptized and joined Corn Mennonite Brethren Church in 1945. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Stillwater at the time of his death. He served on the Oklahoma Conference Board of Higher Education and the Board of Global Missions. He served as dean of the Conference School of Christian Missions.

He joined the Entomological Society of America and served on the governing board from 1973-76. The Society elected him Honorary Member in 1999. The Southwestern Branch recognized his lifetime contribution with the Te Que Ne Whap Award in 2002. He served as president of the Central States Entomological Society and the Rocky Mountain Entomological Conference.

Survivors include three children, David Peters and his wife, Sara, of Stillwater, Kathryn Dagestino and her husband, Barry, of Anaheim Hills, Calif., and John Peters and his wife, Susan, of Plano, Texas; a brother; two sisters; and four grandchildren.

A memorial service was held at First United Methodist Church.