Ken and Elaine Nelson Endowed Scholarship

In December of 1940, Elaine and Ken met while they were students at the La Crosse Vocational School. They both worked for John B. Coleman, long-time director of the school. A short time after they met Elaine was hired by Trane Company as a secretary to the traffic manager and Ken joined the Army Air Corps. He spent four years as a personnel sergeant major in the 57th Bombardment Group.
Following the war, Elaine and Ken were married and moved to Mauston, Wisconsin, where Ken held the position of president of Mauston Manufacturing Company and Hillsboro Manufacturing Company. He also served as president of the Mauston School Board for eight years and provided his personal expertise in the construction of the new high school in 1965.
Elaine has given unselfishly of her time to a variety of community and church activities. In 1959 she provided the leadership necessary to bring about the Hess Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop, which has since donated hundreds of dollars to the hospital.
The Nelsons have endowed a scholarship for a Mauston or Juneau County resident as their way of ensuring the continuation of their legacy of commitment and contribution to their community.