Wilber John Teeters was born October 10, 1866, in Alliance, Ohio. He earned his B.S. at Mount Union College, Alliance, in 1893 and his M.A. there in 1897. He took his Ph.G. (Pharmacy Graduate) degree from the University of Michigan in 1895.

Dr. Teeters began his 64-year career at the State University of Iowa in September 1895 as a demonstrator of chemistry in the Department of Medicine. In 1901 he was promoted to associate professor of pharmacy and was made full professor in 1903. He served as the first head of the Chemistry Department and the second dean of the College of Pharmacy, the latter from 1904 until 1937. In 1937 he resigned as dean and continued to teach part time for the next 22 years. Teeters was a founding member of the faculty organization, the Triangle Club.

During his career in pharmacy, Dr. Teeters served as the Iowa state toxicologist for decades. He served as a member on the Board in Control of Athletics from 1905 to 1913. Teeters also served as a member of the Iowa City City Council, 1941-1943 and 1947-1949. He was mayor of Iowa City 1943-1947. He had two sons, Otis and Wilber. Mrs. Teeters died in 1903. Wilber J. Teeters died December 14, 1959.