Dustin A. Peters

Dr. Dustin A. “Dusty” Peters, 83, of Elizabethtown, PA and Ocean City, NJ, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 29, 2026 at the Elizabethtown Masonic Healthcare Center, of complications from dementia. Born November 15, 1942, in Lancaster, PA, he was the son of the late Franklin and Elizabeth (Dattisman) Peters.

Dustin spent the majority of his life in Elizabethtown. While attending Elizabethtown High School, he earned a varsity letter in basketball and was proud to be a member of the undefeated, perfect season, football team of 1957. As an adult, he officiated high school football games and was a member of the Lancaster/Lebanon Athletic Association (Chair) and the Lancaster County Chapter of PIAA Football Officials.

Dusty was the first in the Peters family to attend college. In 1964, he graduated from Elizabethtown College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1967, he completed a Master of Science in Educational Administration from Temple University, and earned his Doctor of Education in 1979 from Nova University, where he was nominated for a National School Improvement award for professional achievement in serving the education needs of students.

His professional experience was varied with opportunities to teach both at the elementary and secondary levels. He first taught sixth grade at Londonderry Township School. In 1966, he was hired by the Elizabethtown Area School District, where he served as high school principal for 17 years, the middle school principal for two years, assistant junior-senior high school principal for two years, social studies department chair for four years, and social studies teacher for six years.

While employed with the Elizabethtown School District, he acquired additional certification in secondary school supervision and administration, as well as superintendent certification.

He held numerous state and national leadership positions and was selected to participate in National Endowment of Humanities summer sessions held at the University of Pennsylvania and Boston University.

Dustin was an outstanding teacher and an enthusiastic school administrator. He was a warm, humorous, and engaging human being. He had a gift of making people feel included and valued.

He was an avid reader and experience chess player, writer, and book reviewer. His writing often appeared in mystery book reviews and professional journals.

After retiring from Elizabethtown School District in 1996, Dustin moved his family to Ocean City, New Jersey, where he enjoyed a second career as a real estate agent, earning him several years of the NJAR Circle of Excellence Award.

Dusty excelled in doubles tennis, table tennis, pool, bowling, and he enjoyed playing cards with his friends in high school and in Ocean City, NJ. He enjoyed dancing and music, especially from the 1950’s and 60’s Rock’N’Roll era.

Surviving his is his wife, Leslie (Shugars) Peters, to whom he was married for nearly 59 years; his son, Aron Nicholas Peters; and daughter-in-law, Corinne (Bernardo) Peters, of Lakewood, CO.

Service and interment will be private at the convenience of the family.