Richard Alvin Peters

Richard Alvin Peters, age 94, passed away peacefully at home on October 17, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born on December 7, 1930, in Wellington, Kansas. Growing up on the family farm in Oxford, Kansas, helped shape Richard into the strong, caring man he became. The youngest of four boys born to the late Lucian and Helen (McKinlay) Peters, Richard was blessed with parents and brothers who served as positive role models throughout his life.

A lifelong learner with an endless thirst for knowledge, Richard had a deep passion for history and education. His intellectual curiosity and integrity defined his life and inspired countless students and friends. He will be remembered for his caring nature, quick wit, and genuine love of learning.

Richard attended school in Oxford, Kansas, and graduated High School in 1949. He proudly served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Following his service, he earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Wichita State University and a master’s degree in history from the University of Oklahoma. While completing his Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma, he conducted research in London and Germany and taught at the University of Maryland’s European Division and the London School System.

In 1963, he began his career at Central State College. In 1968 Dr. Peters became the first chair of the History Department. He served in this post for fourteen years. After stepping down as chair in 1982, he turned his attention to creating the college’s Applied Liberal Arts program to help students prepare for the changing demands of the workplace. (You could say that he was all about career readiness long before that term was coined.) He retired in 1996, but continued teaching for the department. Altogether, he taught at UCO for more than four decades. In his retirement, he co-authored a book with Dr. Bing Li on Voices from the Korean War: Personal Stories of American, Korean, and Chinese Soldiers. This project was especially important to him, given his own experience as a soldier in the Korean War.

Richard was passionate about tennis and began playing as a boy on a dirt court his family built on the farm. He went on to captain his college tennis team and continued to compete for many years. Another of Richard’s lifelong passions was chess, a game he learned from his brother Robert. Chess became a beloved family tradition, and Richard proudly passed the skill on to his daughter and granddaughters. A talented woodcarver, Richard’s craftsmanship was evident in many projects—his most remarkable being a hand-carved chess set of his own design. Music also played a meaningful role in Richard’s life. He played the trumpet during his school years and was known for his beautiful, “silver-toned” sound. He loved classical music, opera, and Broadway musicals and was a devoted supporter of the arts.

In 1968, Richard married the love of his life, Helen (Mangold) Peters, and together they raised their daughter, Tami. Richard shared a special and enduring bond with his daughter, Tami. He was her greatest supporter—always present, cheering her on at every tennis match, softball game, and track and field event. He took immense pride in her achievements and in the loving family she built. His granddaughters, Tara and Taylar, were the joy of his life and the apple of his eye. He cherished every moment spent with them and took great pleasure in encouraging and guiding them throughout their lives.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Lucian and Helen; brothers Eugene and sister in law Clarice; Robert and sister in law Harriet; sister-in-law June.

He is survived by his loving wife, Helen; daughter, Tami (Steve) Wilkinson; granddaughters Tara (Phillip) Kelley and Taylar (Cody) Phillips; and great-grandchildren Charlotte, James, Sadie and Sloane. He is also survived by his brother Donald, many nieces and nephews, and numerous dear friends.

A memorial service will be held at Matthews Funeral Home on November 14, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make a gift to the Richard & Helen Peters' Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement in Applied Liberal Arts. Checks can be made out to the UCO Foundation, with ‘Fund 10421’ in the memo. If you would prefer to give online, you can access the giving page here: https://www.centralconnection.org/donate?fid=y%2fXbDtxx3Wg%3d&fdesc=wRVTEMVXzwiWTkwXlQ2ZSb4OgjGk%2fEKW%2bqknEfE1o6V0fxRnRPdkO7O6ZzUfstObvV3E%2bG5CNET6MZqZzHrRnVdoklglObDawyz6UOpxqSQJP4u8zf1v7aATke9mqBbI

We will be live streaming this service, to watch the service CLICK HERE to go to our YouTube page. Click on 'Videos', then 'Live Streams'.