For generations, Camp Stella Maris (CSM) has been a treasured gathering place for the Zorc and Cullen family.

Christopher’s grandparents, Ron and Mary Lou Cullen, attended family camp with their children in the 1970s after meeting the charismatic Ray Tette while attending Mass at St. John Fisher College. Not long after, Lori Cullen Zorc, Chris’s mother, worked at CSM as a counselor-in-training (CIT), back in the days when summers were divided into boys’ and girls’ sessions. She fell in love with the energy of this special place and returned for many more summers as a counselor and nurse. Then, she sent each of her children to experience this community she cherished.

Each August, seven Zorc children piled atop their trunks and candy reserves to drive the seven hours to the shores of Conesus Lake. Each spent many summers in day camp, overnight camp, and all seven joined staff at age seventeen. They all created lifelong friendships and memories with the community and each other.

Because of the fourteen-year age spread, there was just one special session in August of 2009, when all seven kids were at camp concurrently. To this day, that week stands out as a treasured memory for the Zorc Family. Thomas, the eldest and 18 at the time, was a senior counselor, Chris (17) was a day camp counselor, Leen was a CIT (16), Meghan (12), Caroline (10), and Peter (7) attended overnight camp, while Patrick (5) attended day camp. They were lucky to have their cousins, Sean and Ryan Hall, and Paul and Lilly Wright, honorary Zorc siblings, also join them over the years.

The Zorcs high-fived one another in passing, bounced off inflatables on the lake together, and found one another for hugs during the sign of peace at mass. The older kids visited the cabins of their younger siblings and cousins at night to check on them and say goodnight. The memory of that week is cherished both by the siblings and those who experienced it alongside us.

Camp Stella Maris unlocked the truest expression of Chris’s soul. He embodied the spirit of CSM far beyond the years he spent there and carried its spark out in the world for the rest of his life. Camp nurtured the parts of Chris that made him so fun and memorable: his kindness, generosity, fun-first “for the kids” attitude, and eagerness to be in service to others.

A theme heard repeatedly is how good Chris was with kids. Whenever the extended family gathered, Chris would be making up games, joking and playing, and making sure each child felt seen and known in their individuality.

Since his passing, his family has been bolstered by the outpouring of support from the CSM community and the memory-sharing of the impact Chris had on the lives of his friends. They remember his kindness, his steady presence, his sense of humor, his vitality, and his joy.

Camp was more than a place to play and spend the summer. It was a core community that rooted and shaped Chris and his whole family. The friendships he built, the lessons he learned, and the memories he created at CSM remain an important part of who he was. As Camp Stella Maris celebrates its 100th summer, it feels especially meaningful to honor Chris in a place that meant so much to him and to the entire Zorc family. We are grateful to the camp community for helping us celebrate his life and preserve the connection he cherished for so many years.

If you choose to donate, your support will ensure that many others will be uplifted by this special place. Thank you for honoring the life of Christopher Joseph Zorc in this way. 143 forever.

Christopher Zorc Memorial Fund