Eddie August, son of Henry and Anna Jensen Fischer, was born March 5, 1913, in Audubon County, Iowa. He attended country school near his home in Audubon County, and was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning.

Eddie's life-long love was to make music. At the age of seven, Eddie learned to play the button accordion and at the age of ten he learned to play the trumpet. Following his schooling, Eddie was a full-time musician playing with the town bands in Gray and Manning and the Royal Dragon Orchestra in Denison.

On June 10, 1933, Eddie was united in marriage with Vera Kooker in Des Moines in a rose garden. Two boys were born to this union. Eddie later joined the Pete Kuhl Orchestra, playing ball-rooms throughout the Midwest. In 1936, Eddie moved to Bismarck, North Dakota, and joined the Harry Truner Orchestra that played on the radio daily as well as dances throughout the northern United States and southern Canada. He then played with the Little Joe Hart Orchestra in Yankton, South Dakota and Frenchy Graffolier's Orchestra in Kansas City. In February of 1937, he joined Henry Hallstadt, playing several venues in the Midwest and South.

Late in 1937, he returned to Manning and worked at Manning Motor Company. Eddie continued to play music on the side. He formed a small band and played several nights a week in Carroll.

He once played with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, and was subsequently offered a job with Lawrence Welk, but turned down the offer because of the promise to be a future owner of Manning Motor. Later he played with the Carroll Elk Concert Band and the Morrie Powers Orchestra. In 1966, Eddie and his brother, George, became partners at Manning Motor Company.

Eddie was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Manning, serving as an elder and trustee for several years. He served on both the Manning City Council and Electric Board for several years and was a board member of the Iowa Auto Dealers Association. He was a member of Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce. In 1990, Eddie and George sold their business and retired. During retirement, Eddie and Vera enjoyed traveling, golfing, doing yard work and working around the house.

Eddie's health had been failing and he was in the Manning Regional Healthercare Center in Manning, Iowa, two weeks before his death there on Tuesday, September 25, 2001, at the age of 88 years, 6 months and 20 days.

Besides his parents, Eddie was preceded in death by both of his sons Bruce Fischer and Dennis Fischer; a sister Lucy and her husband, Elmer Schelldorf; a brother George Fischer and his first wife, Hilda.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Vera Fischer, of Manning; a daughter-in-law, Florine Fischer of Carroll; a sister-in-law Verna Fischer of Omaha; Vera's family: Velma Curtis of Manning; Halford Kooker and wife, Maime, of Des Moines; Bruce Kooker and wife, Mary Jane, of Des Moines,and Dorothea Kooker of Des Moines; and by three nephews, other relatives and friends.