Dr. William Alvin Caynon, Jr. was born on 25 February 1940 in Miami, Florida to Eva Morrissetta King Caynon and William Alvin Caynon, Sr. He was preceded in death by his mother, Eva K. Caynon; father, William A. Caynon Sr.; sister, Joyce Thorne, and son, Stephen Lionel Caynon. William was raised in Miami, Florida, and Newburgh, New York during his youngest years. He moved to Birmingham, Alabama at age seven. There, he attended Powderly Elementary School, Wenonah Elementary School and Wenonah High School where he graduated in 1958. He graduated from Talladega College, Talladega, Alabama and received a Baccalaureate Degree in Arts and Music in 1964. He then attended Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia, where he received a Master's Degree in Library Science in 1969. His formal education ended with a Doctor of Philosophy in Library Science from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana in 1980. William taught music at his alma mater, Wenonah High School from 1965-1968. He served as an organist and choir director at several churches, namely, Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama, Saint Phillips Episcopal Church, Birmingham, Alabama and Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia. He served as a librarian and card cataloger at the Atlanta Public Library, Atlanta, Georgia, in the Fine Arts Department from 1969 to 1973. The family relocated to Kent, Ohio, where he was a faculty member of the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science from 1976 to 2010. He served on two occasions as Interim Director and retired as Professor Emeritus. He leaves to cherish his memory, his very devoted sons, William Alvin Caynon, lll, Portland, Oregon, and Michael Andrew Caynon, Akron, Ohio; siblings, Jacqueline D. Caynon-Hall, Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, Lionel B. (Kathleen O'Connor) Caynon, Franklin, North Carolina, Doretha Brundage, Bronx, New York, Rita (Herman) Toms, Apex, North Carolina, Danny (Cheryl Clark) Brundage, Arlington, Massachusetts, Harriet Caynon, Cleveland, Ohio, a beloved friend, Harold E. Koehler, Wooster, Ohio, and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and other relatives and friends. Acknowledgement: The family wishes to acknowledge with deepest appreciation the many comforting messages, prayers, visits and many other expressions of kindness.

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