Edward Peters Jr., Henry Charles Lea Professor Emeritus in Penn's history department, died Nov. 5 in his hometown of Guilford, Connecticut at age 88.
Peters held bachelor's and master's degrees from Yale University, where he was the first PhD ever awarded in Medieval Studies. After arriving at Penn in 1968, he served as a history professor and curator for the Henry Charles Lea Library at Penn Libraries, a position he held for 41 years.
Peters was known for his wide-ranging interests. He wrote many publications on a variety of topics, ranging from the Crusades to torture and curiosity to witchcraft. Throughout his career, he received fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Philosophical Society, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.
However, the honor most meaningful to him was being made a fellow of the Medieval Academy of America. “It’s your professional peers in all disciplines judging you,” Peters said in a 2003 Pennsylvania Gazette article.
E. Ann Matter, the chair of Penn’s Department of Religious Studies at the time, called Peters "one of the great medievalists of his generation" in the article. Other scholars noted his influence on the field and praised how widely his knowledge extended.
1986 graduate Richard Newhauser, a professor of English and Medieval Studies at Arizona State University and one of Peters’ collaborators, referred to Peters as a “major influence on lots and lots of people,” highlighting that he was a great support to both students and colleagues.
Peters’ career was “neither predictable nor single-minded,” Newhauser wrote. “Old interests have never gone away, and new interests often oddly loop back to them.”
For years after retiring from teaching, Peters continued to research, write, and edit scholarly works.
In a Tribute Book collecting the memories of Peters' friends and families, 1980 College graduate student Robert Kail recalled a moment from a class he took with Peters.
“I will never forget when Dr. Peters was talking about the invention of bourbon, and I recall he told our class in his memorable style of speech and cadence, ‘It may not be very important to you, but it certainly is to me!’ I loved his humanity, and his love of his family,” Kail wrote.
Peters is survived by his grandchildren, sisters, and other relatives. Services in his honor took place on Nov. 19.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate