Mr. Peters was born July 9, 1929, and has been a lifelong resident of Alliance, Ohio (except for a 22-year stretch in the United States Air Force). A graduate of Alliance High School, Joe entered the military service in September 1947 and climbed the ladder from private to chief master sergeant (E-9). He retired from the USAF 1 Aug 1969, returned to Alliance and worked at Alliance Ware (a division of Crane company), Electronic Circuits and Design (ECD).

In 1974 he began teaching Air Force Junior ROTC at Warren Western Reserve High School, Warren, Ohio. While teaching joe began taking courses thru the Eastern Ohio Association , United Church of Christ in 1985, to be a certified-licensed lay minister. Each course was 16 hours in length and consisted of:
The Caring Ministry
The Church: Its History and Nature
Leadership: Motivation and Styles
New Testament
Old Testament
Polity
Spiritual Disciplines
Teaching Ministry
Homiletics
Theology: Confirming Our Faith
Worship and/or Rites And Sacraments

While taking these courses Joe was asked to become supply minister for the Atwater Congregational Church, United Church Of Christ, Atwater, Ohio. January 1, 1990 Mr. Peters was certified and licensed for the Atwater church. Retiring from teaching in June 1990, he then left the Atwater church after 12 years on February 29, 2000. (At this same time he had been serving when needed as chaplain, Alliance City Hospital (now the Alliance Community Hospital)

In 2002 he was appointed acting chaplain for the hospital and in February 2005 became chaplain for the hospital. Also, since 1998 he began serving as voluntary chaplain for the hospice program and as chaplain for the Charles C. Weybrecht post 166, American Legion, Alliance, Ohio.

Since returning to civilian life in 1969, Mr. Peters has served his community as follows:

-Trustee for the Alliance area United Way until its merger with Stark County.
-Past president of the Alliance Area Retired Teachers
- Member of the board : Alliance Of Churches
- Member of the steering committee for Partners-in-Ministry program Eastern Ohio Association United Church Of Christ
- Chaplain, Post 166, American Legion
- Chaplain, Alliance Community Hospital
- Volunteer chaplain, Alliance Visiting Nurse and Hospice Program
- Member of the memorial Day Planning Committee for Alliance
- Member of the Lexington Ruritan Club; named Lexington Ruritan Club Citizen of the Year 2003
- Named American Legion State of Ohio Chaplain of the Year 2004
- Presented the Chapel of Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Award, November 11, 2004
- Given the Influential Educator Award, University of Wisconsin/Plattsville, 2004
- Accepted call to become pastor of Christ Church at Myers, Massillon, Ohio , Aug 28, 2005
- Inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall Of Fame, Columbus, Ohio on November 3, 2005

Joe and his wife Carol have been married 62 years. They have six children/8 grandchildren, 10, great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Joe has given over 23 gallons of blood to the Red Cross blood drive, and shortly will hit 24 gallons.

The editorial in the Alliance Review entitled," Our View" says it perfectly:
"Heroism runs through his veins. Let's hear it for Joe Peters who has donated (at that time 20 gallons of blood to the Red Cross.) His tally is much higher, since he started donating long before the Red Cross organization began keeping tabs on donors. Official records of blood giving didn't start until 1969; by that time, Peters had been donating life-giving fluid for 22 years! We will never know how many lives his selfless giving of blood has saved, or how many other lives he has positively impacted through three of his professions: the military, education, and currently the ministry. How many people can lay claim to peter" accomplishments? He has defended his country, taught its children, and ministered to its spiritual well-being, in addition to supplying blood to care for its wounded.

"In our book, that makes this humble, unassuming man a real hero. May his dedication be a lesson to us all."