Charles Acton

AIKEN - Charles Francis Acton, 89, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 24, 2008, at Aiken Regional Medical Center with his beloved wife of 54 years, Marian, and his loving daughter, Sara, at his side. Charlie was born in Bedford, IN to Edgar Charles and Alice Hall Acton on April 1, 1918. He served his country courageously in the U.S. Army in both World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of captain. After military service, he worked his way through Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He later attended the University of Kentucky for graduate courses in accounting and was named an Honorary Kentucky Colonel. Charlie then began his accounting career with Kimberly Clark Corporation in Neenah, WI where he met the love of his life. He transferred to Aiken to start up the Beech Island Plant in 1966, retiring with over 30 years of service. While at Kimberly Clark he was instrumental in founding the Beech Island Credit Union, which he was currently serving as Treasurer. In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by two sisters: Marjorie (Ken) Stone of Ft. Myers, FL and Marilyn Guthrie of Bradenton, FL. He is also survived by two sisters in law: Joyce (Steve) Mihna of Waupaca, WI and Carol (Ken) Zeinert of Menasha, WI and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by his grand pups Mona and Samantha, who gave him much love and amusement. He was predeceased in death by his brother Thomas E. Acton. Charlie was also an avid Green Bay Packers fan, holding season tickets for over 50 years. He also volunteered several thousand hours and over 40 years at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Augusta. For this he was recently named Volunteer of the Quarter. A member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Charlie served as an usher and was a member of Church Council. He was also a member of the Aiken Assembly and an avid golfer at Highland Park Country Club (now Aiken Golf Club) and a member of the Tri-State Senior Golf Association. He served as a scorer for over 30 years at the Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters Tournament. He fondly remembered attending the Masters last year with his daughter. He was a life member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in both Augusta, GA and Neenah, WI. He was also a life member in the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in both Wisconsin and South Carolina. Visitation will be held at Shellhouse Funeral Home on Hayne Avenue in Aiken on Friday, March 28 from 4 - 6 pm. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Saturday, March 29 at 11:00 am with Pastor Robert Byrne officiating with a reception following. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the St. Paul Lutheran Church Endowment Fund, 961 Trail Ridge Rd., Aiken, SC 29803, or to the charity of one’s choice. Please visit Mr. Acton’s online memorial at http://shellhousefuneralhome.com Shellhouse Funeral Home, Inc., 924 Hayne Ave., Aiken, SC To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles Acton, please visit our flower store.