Douglas Fritscher

Douglas Fritscher, 69, of Nisswa, passed away Monday, November 01, 2010 at his home. A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00AM, Saturday, November 6, 2010 at St. Christopher's Catholic Church in Nisswa, with Father George Zeck officiating.

Douglas was born July 3, 1941 in Sherburn, MN, the son of Alfred and Bernice (Johnson) Fritscher. His father was an auto mechanic and his mother was a homemaker. He attended Sherburn High School, and three days after graduation, in 1959, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the US Air Force. He was a weapons control technician on the F89 Scorpion and the F106 Delta Dart Fighter Jets.

Upon honorable discharge in 1963, he returned home to Sherburn, and married his childhood sweetheart, Jane Becker. The couple lived in Denver, CO, until Doug secured employment with Control Data Corporation in Minneapolis. He was trained as a Customer Engineer to work on large computers. His first assignment was at Offit AFB in Omaha, NE, working at the second level underground in the Strategic Command Headquarters.

In 1965, he resigned from Control Data to attend college at Mankato State University. He graduated in 1968 with a BS in mathematics. He was rehired by Control Data in Los Angeles as a computer programmer/teacher. In 1972, after four years, and discovering that he liked teaching, he took a job at the Brainerd Area Vocational Technical Institute, as the resident computer teacher. He spent 22 years there and the last 10 with Central Lakes College, before retiring in 2003.

The highlight of his life came in 1991 when he and Jane went to Romania to adopt two infant boys, Joseph and William. The boys have made their life rich beyond compare.

Doug is survived by his wife of 47 years, Jane; daughter, Trina Liapis; sons, Joseph and William; brother, Ronald; and many nieces and nephews. He will also be remembered by his numerous and wonderful friends, including (but not limited to), Glen Smith, Doug Gieser, Cliff Burgget, Mike Mahar, Al Burkhart, Lou Anderson, and Mike Rudolf. In lieu of flowers please send memorials to: St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation- the Oncology Department, or Central Lakes College Foundation- The Adopted Children's Scholarship Fund

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter.