William A. Kennedy; President of Sun Features

William Alvey Kennedy, 68, president of Sun Features Inc., which distributes features to daily newspapers throughout the country. Born in Vincennes, Ind., Kennedy grew up in St. Louis and Chicago, where he attended Loyola University. He began his career as a big band singer with Les Baxter, and was best remembered for the song “Suddenly.” In 1954, Kennedy became a partner in Box Cards, which manufactured humorous black-and-white studio greeting cards. During the height of the Cold War, “The Art Linkletter Show” sent Kennedy on a goodwill tour of the Soviet Union as an example of “the typical American man.” Kennedy later moved into newspaper syndication, and became executive vice president of the McNaught Syndicate in New York City. There he helped establish such features as “Dear Abby” and comic strips such as “Heathcliff.” His Sun Features is based in Encinitas. On April 12 while on vacation in Dublin, Ireland, of a heart condition.