Leo Peters, a 35-year veteran of the mechanical engineering department, came to Iowa State in 1961 for graduate school and never left.

He was attending ISU while on leave from John Deere and had intentions of returning to the industry, but changed his mind.

A combination of his love for teaching and his love for Ames kept Peters at ISU.

“I like teaching, and I like working with students,” Peters said. “I decided Ames was a nice place to be.”

Peters said during his time at ISU he has met many successful people, but he was reluctant to single out “one or a few” because “there were too many.”

Peters considers himself luckier than most who have taught at ISU because his own son, Mark, was in three of his classes.

“We had a special student/teacher relationship,” Peters said.

Among Peter’s fondest memories was when his son, Mark, helped to rejuvenate the Society of Automotive Engineers after it fell into disrepair.

Peters had started the group 30 years ago and served as adviser for 20 years. Mark also arranged for Peters to receive an outstanding professor award without his father being notified about it in advance, providing a terrific surprise and another great memory.

The only thing about teaching Peters didn’t like was grading.

“It takes a lot of time. It’s frustrating. They never learn exactly what I want them to learn, even though they learn a lot,” Peters said. “Also, I have to put numbers on them. Though I know it’s got to be done.”

After 35 years of teaching, nine children and 10 grandchildren, Peters will retire June 1, 1996.

During his retirement, Peters said he and his wife plan to study their genealogies as well as visit their family, who is scattered across the United States from Delaware to Texas. Peters also plans to read and get in better shape.

“I am a big guy, and I need to get more active so I don’t get any bigger,” he said.

Another major reason Peters is leaving ISU is his wife’s failing health. “She has Parkinson’s disease, and I am her care-giver. I would like to spend more time with her,” he said. She was a special education teacher at Ames High School, but is now on disability due to her condition.

Peters offers a few words of advice to students before he retires.

“I’m not much of a philosopher, but work hard and make the most of your opportunities. These, believe it or not, are the good days,” he said.

He also reminded instructors that “the most important thing are the students, regardless of the other pressures we face.”

Peters earned his bachelor’s from Kansas State in 1953. He earned both his master’s and doctorate from Iowa State, in 1963 and 1967, respectively.