CynDee Royle Lambert

Delaware native and award-winning journalist CynDee Royle of White Plains, N.Y., passed away peacefully on the night of Saturday, February 6.

She was surrounded by her devoted children and loving husband, her sweetheart for decades before their marriage last fall.

Also known by her former married name of Cynthia Lambert, she was 57. CynDee’s passing marked the end of a valiant battle with cancer, fought courageously with an unfailingly positive attitude that helped her beat the odds for more than four years.

A Claymont native, who studied at Brigham Young University and University of Delaware after graduation from Mount Pleasant High School, she chose journalism as her field of public service, based in her belief in community to ensure justice, solve problems and uplift those in need.

CynDee – whose unique name melded her given names of Cynthia and Dee – began her career at The News Journal at age 19. She worked first in classified advertising, then was hired to the sports staff and worked as a features copy editor before joining the news team as a reporter.

A natural leader recognized for intelligence, fairness and compassion, she rose through editing ranks and in 1991 was named metro editor, heading the entire statewide news operation. She was admired equally by staff and colleagues throughout the Gannett Co.

She moved to New York in 1995, joining The Journal News. There, too, she rose through leadership posts, serving as managing editor for more than a decade, leading development of online news.

In 2011, CynDee was named to the top news position, editor and vice president of news. She led the award-winning news team in direct competition with The New York Times, Newsday and other publications, notably growing circulation despite hard times in the media industry.

CynDee was known for her passion for fairness and accuracy, investigative journalism and storytelling at the national and neighborhood levels. She continued her service through late 2014, retiring due to her illness.

Although she adopted and adored New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley, she remained a proud Delawarean. CynDee visited often, cherished her beach vacations, kept up with Delaware news and remained deeply loyal to longtime friends here.

She was an avid reader, enjoyed travel and loved music – most of all Bruce Springsteen, whose “no defeat, no surrender” lyrics epitomized her approach not only to life but also to her cancer. Her deepest devotion, however, was to family, and she included closest friends in that cherished circle.

In September, CynDee was beyond delighted when family and friends from all over the country gathered in Chesapeake City, Md., to celebrate her marriage to Steve Howell of Bear, whom she described as the love of her life.

The greatest joys in her life, however, were her children, Max Lambert of White Plains and Niki Lynne Keenan-Callahan of the Kennett Square, Pa., area. She was thrilled by her daughter’s marriage, on Halloween 2014 in Arden, to Michael Callahan, whom she embraced as one of her children.

She also was devoted to her beloved parents Richard P. “Rip” and Letitia B. “Tish” Royle of Broadkill Beach, sister Sandra R. Mummert of Kennett Square, brother Richard Royle Jr. of the Wilmington area and her nieces and nephews. The family extends heartfelt thanks to all who helped and supported CynDee during her illness.

A celebration of her life will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Visitation will be 5 to 6:45 p.m., with a time of remembrance from 6:45 to 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Cynthia Royle Lambert's name to either Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, at www.mskcc.org or 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065, or Livestrong Foundation at www.livestrong.org or Livestrong Foundation, National Mail Processing Center, P.O. Box 6003, Albert Lea, MN, 56007-6603. 

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