Biography of
Teddy G. Acton
North Carolina Elks State President
2014-2015
Teddy Glenn Acton was born in Evansville, Indiana, the fourth of June 1942, the son of Blanch and Harlan (Bob) Acton. Teddy attended public school in a two room school house in the country which had two teachers for all eight grades. When in the fifth grade he transferred to a Catholic grade school (Saint Agnus) and after grade school attended Mater Dei Catholic High School in Evansville, Indiana.
Upon graduation in 1961 he joined the United States Air Force. Teddy served eight years in the USAF during the Vietnam era assigned to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) serving as a Air Policeman and received two honorable discharges in 1969. After leaving the Air Force he joined the Washington, DC (District of Columbia) police Department where he worked for over 21 years serving mostly as a Detective. During those years he continued his education and received an Associates Degree in the Administration of Justice from American University in Washington, D.C. He received over fifty meritorious awards for outstanding police work during his career and retired with honors from the department in January of 1990.
After retiring from the police department, Teddy was appointed a judgeship as a Magistrate for the 17th Judicial District of the great State of Virginia serving the counties of Arlington and Fairfax for two years after which he moved to Sunset Beach North Carolina.
He soon met, fell in love, and married his wife Vickie. They now have six children and are blessed to have eight grandchildren. He continued to work as Director of Security at a large mall in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for five years and after that worked for the town of Sunset Beach in public works as the supervisor of Beach Code Enforcement Officers, a first medical responder, water rescue personnel, and volunteer fire fighter for another seven years.
He joined Calabash Elks Lodge #2679 in 1990 where he instantly became active working on many committees such as the Entertainment committee; the House Committee; Hoop Shoot; Christmas Party; the Halloween Party; and also wrote, directed and acted in two dinner mystery theaters which were performed and sold out many times in the lodge. He became an Officer in 1992 being elected to Lecturing Knight. He continued serving the lodge through the years and was elected Exalted Ruler three times, first 2003-2004, then 2008-2009, and again 2011-2012. He lead his lodge to compete in the State Ritual contest two times while he was Exalted Ruler. He won the Exalted Ruler of the Year Award twice while he was Exalted Ruler. His lodge recognized his outstanding service and awarded him “Elk of the Year”.
He served as State Tiler 2006-2007. He served as Vice President for the East District 2010-2011; Esquire to the District Deputy 2011-2012; and then as District Deputy 2012-2013. He was elected to the position of President-elect for the NC State Elks Association 2012-2013 and was installed as President of the NCSEA in May for 2014-2015.
He has been a dedicated public servant most of his adult life and Teddy believes in a positive attitude, team work, and closing the gap between where we are and where we want to be. He believes we need to stress what we can do—not what we can’t do and just “be the Elk we know we should be.”