Doug Fisher

1954 - 2016

Doug J. Fisher
1954 ~ 2016
Douglas James "Doug" Fisher, 61, who taught and coached in the Moscow School District for 37 years, died Wednesday, March 23, 2016, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, after a valiant battle with brain cancer. Doug was a mentor, life skills coach, and friend to thousands. Multiple generations of admiring students knew him as "Coach."
Doug was delivered by his grandfather in Spokane, Washington, on April 17, 1954. His parents, Kenneth and Marguerite Fisher, moved their family to Lewiston, Idaho, when Doug was very young. Doug graduated from Lewiston High School in 1972, where he was a three-year letterman in football, basketball, and track. Doug twice won the state high school discus championship, setting an Idaho A-1 record that stood for 19 years and a school record that still stands at Lewiston High.
Doug attended the University of Idaho on a football scholarship, but also participated in track. He competed in the NCAA finals twice after winning the Big Sky championship in discus. At UI, he majored in education and was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He completed his bachelor's degree in 1977 and master's degree in education in 1994.
Doug was an elementary P.E. teacher and coached a variety of high school sports, including football, basketball, and track. He was an assistant varsity football coach for 20 years and the head football coach at Moscow High from 2004 to 2007. He was named Inland Empire League 4A Football Coach of the Year in 2005.
On June 19, 1982, Doug married the love of his life, Joy Shelton, in Pocatello. They made their home in Moscow, where they have been supportive and caring partners in many community, school district, and University of Idaho activities for the past 34 years.
Doug personified "young at heart." Wherever he went, Doug met fellow Vandals, neighbors, classmates and former students, and greeted them with a wide grin. He was especially fond of his nieces and nephews, who knew they could count on him to initiate fun activities. Doug loved family gatherings, camping trips, holiday celebrations, and travel. His adventures with family and friends took him across the globe to exotic places, Jimmy Buffett and Rolling Stones concerts, Disneyland, and any place where an ocean, lake, or river awaited. Doug's nickname, "Fish," was perfect.
Doug will be remembered for his love of family, loyalty to friends, humility, dedication to his students, and love of life. His legacy is etched indelibly on the thousands of students and friends who benefited from his many talents.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. (PDT) Saturday, April 16, 2016, at the Church of the Nazarene in Moscow.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to The Douglas J. Fisher scholarship endowment, which has been established in his memory through the University of Idaho Foundation, 875 Perimeter Dr., MS 3143, Moscow, ID 83844.