Cynthia Lee Vallar

Cynthia Lee (Aker) Vallar of Fort Worth, Texas, passed away peacefully after a short illness on July 1, 2026 at the age of 70. Cindy was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on February 20, 1956, to Leland Walton Aker and Sara Louise Moran Aker. She graduated from Manheim Township High School, and also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Towson University and a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Maryland.

Cindy’s love of reading and libraries started early, and she devoted her first 20 years of work to school librarianship, with responsibility for raising the standard of the school, while maintaining discipline and caring for her students. After a move to the Midwest, she retired from teaching and threw herself into writing and editing, where she made a name for herself with a particular emphasis on the history of maritime piracy. Her novel “The Scottish Thistle” is now out of print but her website “Thistles and Pirates” draws pirate afficionados from around the world to explore the treasure trove of her writings, reviews, and pictures of pirate-themed trips. She was inducted into the International Pirate Hall of Fame in 2026.

Cindy is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Thomas Alan, of Fort Worth, Texas; her mother, The Rev. Sara M. Aker, of Fort Worth, Texas; three sisters, Beverly Jean Billings, of Graham, North Carolina, Suzanne Louise Ellis, of Liverpool, Pennsylvania, and Jennifer Jo Young, of Emmaus, Pennsylvania; a stepmother, Jacquelyn Aker, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida; two aunts, Dorothy Aker, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and Beverly Moran, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

At Cindy’s wish, her remains have been cremated, and a Celebration of Life will be held at a future time. In lieu of flowers, please make a generous contribution to the Spondylitis Association of America, 16430 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 300, Encino, CA 91436, www.spondylitis.org.