Guilford Dudley Acker Jr., who taught history at Northern Arizona University for 13 years, died June 12, 2011. He was 63.
Dr. Acker was born Oct. 1, 1947, in Providence, R.I., to Capt. Guilford Dudley Acker and Lorraine Dawson Graham Acker. He joined the United States Marines in 1967, was commissioned as a second lieutenant on July 1, 1968, and served as platoon leader in Echo Company 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine division, in Vietnam. He was wounded on July 9, 1969, and retired with a rank of first lieutenant.
Dr. Acker taught history at NAU from Aug. 1996 to May 2009, having earned his doctorate in American West History at NAU in 1995. He also held a master’s degree in history from NAU, a bachelor’s degree in political science from American University, and graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1977. He practiced law for seven years in Virginia Beach, Va.
He is survived by his sister, Lorrie Walker, and brother-in-law, Steve Walker, of Monkton, Md., and cousins Graham Hudgins of Virginia and Thom Hudgins of Georgia.
A “Celebration of Dudley’s Life” will be held at his Flagstaff home, 3989 S. Holland in University Heights, from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 26. Interment will be in
Mossy Creek, Va.