DALTON, Neb. - After the unexpected death of Dennis Peters, 65, a devoted farmer and pillar of the northern Cheyenne County community, the fields he worked so tirelessly didn’t sit idle for long.

Just days after Peters’ passing on July 12, neighbors arrived with combines, trucks and selfless resolve to finish harvesting his wheat - a tribute to the man who spent his life helping others.

“It was so powerful, so gut-wrenching, so heartbreaking, but yet so heart-mending,” said Dennis' wife, Renee. “They had three groups of farmers going on different fields. There were like eight semi-trucks in a row.”

Among those who came to help were the Rushman, Narjes, Meyers and Thomas families, alongside staff and equipment from 21st Century Equipment. Steve and Sherry Jobman provided lunch for the volunteers.

“I cannot even begin to thank them enough,” Renee said. “They had their own wheat to cut. They have kids going to the fair. But there they were.”

Born in Dalton in 1959, Dennis Peters was remembered as a man of integrity, work ethic and quiet generosity. He graduated from Dalton High School in 1978 and was named Nebraska’s Class D Defensive Player of the Year in 1977. Though recruited by legendary Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, Peters chose to focus on academics and returned home to pursue his true passion: farming.

“He was the epitome of Paul Harvey’s ‘So God Made a Farmer,’” Renee said. “Selfless. Up late. He would go to the edge degree to get something finished. He was tough. He was driven. He loved farming.”

Over the years, Peters worked full-time on the farm, served on the boards of Crossroads Cooperative and the Farm Service Agency, and helped power crews during severe storms - earning the nickname “The Farmer” for his commitment to community.

He was also a dedicated father and grandfather. When his daughter Justine was recovering from a serious car accident, Peters would remind her, “We’re vertical. We’re upright. We can do anything.”

Dennis is survived by his wife Renee, son Jordan, daughter Justine and her husband Spencer, and three grandchildren, along with a wide community touched by his strength and kindness.

“If we can have more Dennis Peters in our community and in our world - selfless, thoughtful and kind. He was Superman,” Renee said. “He would help anybody, anywhere.”

Memorial services for Dennis Peters will be held Friday, August 1, at Salem Lutheran Church in Gurley. Overflow seating will be available at Leyton Elementary School. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Crossroads Cooperative Scholarship for young farmers and the Wheat Belt Lineman Scholarship Program.