Den Marlow Acres, Jr., 75, formerly of Dalton and Gainesville, Georgia, and Los Angeles, California, passed away May 12, 2010, at his home in Brunswick with his wife by his side.

Born the eldest of three sons in Orange County, California in 1933 to Den Marlow and Elva McHenry Acres Sr., he was preceded in death by his parents, wife Michael Harrington Acres of Gainesville, and brother, Irving Edward Acres (SPHS '53).

He is survived by his current wife, Naomi B. Acres of Brunswick; daughter and son-in-law, Karil and Leroy Kaylor of Greensboro, North Carolina; son and daughter-in-law, Denny and Tana Acres III of Dalton, and brother and sister-in-law Robert and Monique Acres of Denver, Colorado.  Grandchildren include Matthew and Thomas Kaylor of Greensboro, N.C., and Den Acres IV and Evan of Dalton, and several nieces and nephews.  He is also survived by former wife Beverly Acres of Dalton and former mother-in-law, Elizabeth Harrington of Gainesville and stayed close to the Y.J. Harrington family of Gainesville throughout his life.  He especially loved to spend time with his grandsons.

He attended the University of California at Berkeley and Pomona College.  He graduated with a degree in physics.  He was an honorably discharged veteran of the US Army.

A gifted musician, he could play virtually any instrument by ear.  He loved to sing and played in several bands.  He was a soloist in the choir at First Baptist Church of Dalton for many years and loved to glorify God through song.  His work was his hobby and it covered almost anything imaginable.  No task was too basic or too complex.  As a child, he loved his daily chores on the family farm and helping his grandfather in his blacksmith shop.  Later, it varied from the simple task of pulling weeds in a garden to remodeling houses and restoring cars, to repairing anything that was broken, or inventing a process or machine with a better method.  He was professionally known for his design work on machinery, ranging from textile equipment to systems on the Saturn 5 rockets and cameras on the U2 spy planes.  He had several inventions and patents.  His desire for first-hand knowledge of all things was surpassed by few.  He said he was lucky to be able to pursue so many things and to find fulfillment in his work.  His quiet demeanor masked the knowledge he sought and acquired throughout his life.

Den's work was completed on May 12, 2010 after a brief illness.  His family and friends will greatly miss his sense of humor and patient and kind ways.

The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Georgia, May 13, 2010