Doug Fiske Endowed Scholarship

Douglas A. Fiske, Jr. was born May 10, 1926 in Savannah, Georgia to Douglas A. Fiske, Sr. and Helen (McLeod) Fiske. He grew up in both Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Iowa Falls. He graduated from Iowa Falls High School in 1944, Ellsworth College in 1950, and the Utilities Engineering Institute in Chicago, Illinois in 1956. In 1964 he completed the two-year normal course for teaching at the University of Northern Iowa.  
From 1940-1960 he worked as an electrician and enjoyed his time working for Earl Loveless for a period of time as an electrician who he recognizes as having taught him quite a lot about the practical applications of the trade. For 20 years Doug owned his own shop as a Mercedes Benz diesel specialist and enjoyed servicing privately owned Mercedes Benz cars and engines.  Many customers came from quite a distance to have Doug work on their engines when local technicians couldn’t solve the problem.   
Doug is known for his talent in keeping equipment, specifically diesel engines, maintained and running well past what other mechanics could.  He enjoyed the challenge of rebuilding engines and retooling parts for engines that were difficult to find.  Between 1964 and 1985, Doug was a private truck driver hauling freight loads and also served as a bus driver and bus mechanic for Ellsworth. He drove, reconditioned and maintained three former Greyhound buses for the college, a 1960, a 1963 and a 1967 Greyhound buses. The 1960 bus had been driven 1.45 million miles, and the 1967, 1.7 million miles when each was retired. He worked with Verna Carlson to paint Ellsworth logos and the ECC Panther name on several of the busses he reconditioned and drove for the college.  Enjoyed getting to know the student athletes and coaches that he drove to many athletic contests in ECC’s athletic division. 
In 1948 as part of the 1948 air show, Doug drove a motorcycle through a wooden wall. Doug endowed this scholarship to help second year students who show excellence in the engineering studies at Ellsworth.  This scholarship is chosen by Ellsworth Math and Science faculty and staff. 
Fiske married Joann ___________ in 1949 and the couple have a son, Jordan Douglas, and a daughter, Rebecca Lou.   ​