Dean Richard Yoesting was born on July 10, 1939 in Bellefontaine, Ohio. He received his B.S. (1961) in agricultural education from Ohio State University, M.S. (1963) in rural sociology from Ohio State University, and Ph. D. (1967) in sociology from the University of Wisconsin. Prior to his arrival at Iowa State, Yoesting was employed as a high school general science teacher (1961-1962) in New Carlisle (Ohio), Research Assistant (1962-1963) at Ohio State University, and numerous research and teaching positions at the University of Wisconsin.

Yoesting joined the Iowa State University faculty as a Research Associate (1966) in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. He was promoted to Assistant Professor (1966-1972) and accepted a joint appointment with the Department of Forestry in 1969. Yoesting was promoted to Associate Professor (1972-1976).

Yoesting was a member of the American Sociological Association, the Rural Sociological Society, the Midwest Sociological Society, Alpha Kappa Delta, Gamma Sigma Delta, Xi Sigma Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, Society of Sigma Xi, Who's Who in the Midwest, and the American Men and Women of Science.