To many in his field of genetics, Pete Snustad was known as the co-author of "Principles of Genetics," a primary college textbook used by tens of thousands of students worldwide and now in its sixth edition. But to the thousands of students who took his classes at the University of Minnesota over the years, he was simply a darn good teacher.

"I was at the U, studying engineering and a number of my friends had taken Dad's genetics course," said Snustad's son, Eric, now a Minneapolis attorney. "One of my friends failed his class, and he said: 'He was a great teacher. I deserved to fail.' "

Pete Snustad, 74, who retired from the U in 2009, died Nov. 26 after battling bile duct cancer.

A hardworking Norwegian who grew up on a farm outside Bemidji, Snustad attended Bemidji State University for a year before finishing his undergraduate education at the U. He went on to earn his master's and doctorate at the University of California, Davis. He taught genetics at Minnesota for 43 years, said his wife, Judy. An avid lover of the outdoors, of fishing and hunting and of his family farm near Bemidji, Snustad wasn't one to let cancer slow him.

While receiving chemotherapy last summer, he helped a friend near his farm re-roof his house.

"He was such a fighter," his wife said.

At a time when college professors focus much of their energies on research, Eric Snustad said, his father, an accomplished researcher, loved to teach.

"One of his longtime friends from UC Davis came and visited in the last couple of days," his son said. "And he told Dad, 'You worked harder than 99.9 percent of the professors at the U — and you were always driven to be a phenomenal teacher. And, on top of that, you did your book.'"

Former students of Snustad's posted similar sentiments on a website rating college professors.

"Excellent professor, and I haven't had many yet," wrote one. "He goes over basically all you need to know."

Posted another: "Dr. Snustad is one of the best professors I have ever had. He is extremely nice and helpful. His tests are somewhat difficult."

Carolyn Silflow, a professor of plant biology at the U, worked with Snustad for many years. Students loved him because "he was passionate and he was able to convey his interests in students to the students. They knew that he cared," she said. "He worked hard on every lecture. Even the ones he had given dozens of times."

She added: "My career was really enriched by being associated with Pete."

But he also knew how to have fun, coaching his son's Little League Baseball teams to a couple of championships — and often treating the team to ice cream cones after games, Eric Snustad said.

A humble man with a quiet sense of humor, Snustad enjoyed his flower garden, his wife said. He built a drip system, connected to his home's sprinkler system, that watered the garden while he was away. He and Judy traveled, but were often at the farm, where Snustad was making repairs after a fire about a year ago. He built a new back porch of knotty pine, put on a new roof and put in new landscaping. Over the past year, he'd made trails through the woods with a chain saw and a trail mower, Judy said.

He was diagnosed with cancer in April 2013.

Besides his wife and son, Snustad is survived by four stepchildren — Jon, Jeff and Jason Rabbitt and Jodi Campbell — three grandchildren and 13 step grandchildren.

His funeral will be Dec. 13 at Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapel, 2610 19th Av. NE., Minneapolis. Visitation is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon, with the funeral service to begin at noon.

James Walsh • 651-925-5041