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"Once a Sailor, Always a Sailor!"
By Howie Levy |
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Our
dear friend, Chris Knorr, was one of our most
likeable and popular Sailors
 (especially
with the ladies).
Born in Brooklyn,
Christopher George Knorr, III, he grew up with us in
Oceanside, New York. As a
junior and as a senior in high school, he was a member of our varsity
soccer team that, in its 1958-'59 season, with a 15-0-0 record, won the Nassau
County and LI South Shore championships.
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With his 6th
grade class (top row), 1953 |
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1958 (left to right): Howie
Kitt and (the now late)
Art Heyman ('59), Chris and Tom
Millot ('60), selected by the
coaches to the South Shore Athletic League Division All-Scholastic
team |
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Chris eventually
settled in New Jersey where he raised six children, two of
whom (a daughter, Andrea, and a son, James) tragically
predeceased him. On July 26, 2012, Chris eventually
succumbed himself to a complication of his treatment
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leukemia after battling the disease valiantly for over ten
years.
A devoted family
man, Chris was survived by his beloved and loving wife
Karen, four remaining sons, who were a great source of pride
for him, Michael, Christopher (IV), Adam and Peter. He is
also survived by a stepson, Christopher McNabb, and his
sister, Andrea (a/ka Andi or
now,
Dee) Knorr Mulzer (Oceanside
High School,
'62), ten grandchildren, one great grandchild, two nieces
and a nephew. (His family affectionately called him "Pops.")
Despite the
tragedies and illness he endured, Chris always maintained a
positive, upbeat, optimistic attitude and a
joi d'vive that made him a delight to be around.
"His most outstanding accomplishment was being the best and
most amazing brother a sister could have, and I will miss him
terribly,"
said Andi (Dee),
his only sister. |
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Chris as a young
man:
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1970 |
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1970s |
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Circa
2000, with wife, Karen |
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With with
sister, Andi (Dee), circa
2007 |
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Chris made his
living as a district manager for Best Foods in Englewood
Cliffs, NJ.
And he
devoted countless volunteer hours to helping others. |
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Again,
according to Andi (Dee),
"At
his memorial service, there were several who
shared what a difference he made in their lives
through his work in AA."
He was
also an active volunteer in his community in the
Sunshine Foundation, an organization with the
sole purpose of answering the dreams of
seriously or chronically ill, physically
challenged and abused children.
The following
brief composite of comments
posted
online after his passing
by Chris's co-volunteers at the
Sunshine Foundation and his co-workers captures the
essence of Chris Knorr:
"A
very sweet, most loving, caring and giving man ─
one of those people everyone loved to be around.
His charismatic personality, kind, genuine and
sincere interest in others made him a treasured
friend to all."
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Volunteering
with the
Sunshine Foundation, 2010 |
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Because of his love for children and his
lifelong passion for boating and fishing (once a Sailor,
always a Sailor), Chris
chaired the Foundation's
annual area fishing tournament that raised
thousands of dollars each year to send
terminally ill children and their families on
vacations. |
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Some early family boating |
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 Always a Sailor to his salty core, like so many others, Chris loved our class
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and he loved our reunions. Unable to
stay for the Saturday night main event for our 45th,
Chris told us in 2005,
"It was wonderful to get to see everyone. I hope we have a 50th. I
won't miss a minute of it."
And he didn't.
And Andi (Dee) wrote us
and said,
"I
just wanted to let you know how much he loved the class reunions and
appreciated all the efforts you and his classmates made to get all of
you together. We would have long talks on the phone, and he would tell
me who he saw and what the latest news was on his old friends. I loved
hearing how everyone was doing. I'd always ask him about Fran Caporaso,
Penny White, Bev Barnes, and Nancy Koller. Those were just a few of the
names I could remember.
He told me on the phone what a good conversation he had with Penny White
at the last reunion. He was already very sick but was determined to go
... [and] to beat the cancer right up to the end! He always had a
positive attitude about life."
Selected reunion photos
follow: |
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2010 (50 years
after OHS):
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Friday: |
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with (l. to r.) Harvey Tauber, Sue Rooder,
Carole Cohen and Dave Schwarz
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and with Carol Johnson, Penny White and Howie Levy |
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Saturday
night: |
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with Penny White,
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with (l. to r.) Bob Renselaer and Ray
Martinis, |
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and with a special guest |
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The gang from Oak School No. 3 |
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2005
(45 years after
OHS):
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Friday afternoon at
Nathan's Famous (left to right): Chris, then Jeff Tilford, the
(now late)
Hal Wilensky,
Tom Nasca,
(the back of)
Carolyn Asher and Kathy Cullen |
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Friday afternoon, touring OHS |
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Friday
night with Pete
Wittemann, Terry Brennan, Chris and Bob Rubin |
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1990
(30 years after OHS):
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Friday night with Doreen
Silverstein |
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Below are expressions of fond remembrance received from some
of
our classmates upon learning of Chris's
untimely passing:
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That's really terrible, terrible news. I thought the world
of Chris also. What a shame, what a shame! Can't stand
getting news like this. Doreen will be very upset also; she
was very fond of him.
― Jay Katz
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Well, this is very
sad news. I keep picturing that great face of his. I don't
know what to say
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this one really
hurts.
― Doreen
Silverstein |
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Thoughts about Chris
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50 plus years: |
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Tall
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Brush
cut/flat-top
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All county
soccer star
• Soft-spoken
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Yvonne Svendsen.
― Bill Schmidt
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So
sorry to hear of Chris Knorr's passing. Of course, he and I
did not run in the same crowd since I was bit of a "geek" and barely in anyone's crowd. Nevertheless, I have a vivid
memory of Chris. I had managed to get included at some party
(cause of Joe Kunkel?) ―
maybe on graduation
night? Probably before
― it was early
evening, warm weather in someone's backyard with lights
strung up and music playing. Chris
― tall,
blonde, handsome, popular
―
known as a terrific dancer
― was dancing with
Bev Barnes, and we all circled around to admire them. The
Coasters were playing
―"Searchin'"
was the song ―
and I always associate
"Searchin'" with that moment! Bev and
Chris were dancing a slow, graceful Oceanside-style lindy
(no bouncing!) ―
they were both the
ultimate in cool. She was beautiful, and he was leading her
perfectly through all the moves
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arms overhead, underhand behind the back
―
straight out
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and then circling back together in
tandem, neither missing a step. I admired them SO MUCH! I
wanted to BE them at that moment
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a moment now
frozen in time in my mind as the quintessential teenage
experience of the 1950s. Although I did not know him in
later life, I easily recognized him in the later website
photos since he was very much of part of the class reunion
activities. His refined, musical, athletic persona
must have carried over into adulthood. He was always cordial
and kind to me, as I am sure he was to others. May he rest
in peace. Joe's and my sympathy go to Karen and the family.
― Gerda Balding (Kunkel)
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I was so sad to hear
today of Chris's passing. We spent a lot of time catching up
at the last reunion, and I was stunned by his weight
loss at the time, but he never mentioned an illness.
I came to know his depth of
character more fully at that reunion. An amazing guy! He
was so proud of his family and their work with the
Sunshine Foundation. I was very fond of his sister, Andi, and
appreciated their loving dynamic way back when. I'm so glad
I got to see him one more time at the 50th.
―
Penny White
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It's always a sad day when I learn about yet
another of our OHS classmates passing. I had spoken to
Chris at our 50th
reunion and told him that I
had a crush on him in grade school . Upon hearing this,
he quipped, "Why didn't you tell me THEN?!" Well
― because I was 11
or 12 and SCARED to admit that kind of feeling for one
of the best-looking (I felt)boys in my school! DUH!! I
guess it's inevitable that we'll learn about the passing
of more and more classmates as the years go by, but the
news usually brings about a bittersweet memory
― glad Chris (AND
Hal Wilensky) could
make it to the 50th.
― Lynne Oliver
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Chris
was a very competitive athlete, and I had the pleasure of
playing soccer and other sports with him for many years.
He was a true leader whom we could
count on to inspire and motivate us. He will be
missed by all who knew and loved him.
―
Bob Schwartz
(now deceased)
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Count me among
the many girls who once had a crush on Chris. I sat
behind him in homeroom and looked forward to
his
handsome smiling face and witty quips and observations
each morning. At the last reunion, he and I spoke of the
significant events that have shaped our lives. We all
have poignant stories to tell. His sister, Andi, lives
close to us in Florida, and Chris promised to look us up
when he visited her. Jack and I regret that our visit
never happened. Rest in peace, Chris.
―
Nancy Koller
(Beaulieu)
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This sad news of
the passing of Chris Knorr really hit me hard. At this
very difficult time, my love and sincere sympathy
go out
to his sweet sister, Andi, to his wife, and to all the
others in his large and extended family. I will forever
hold dear the fond memories of Chris and the good times
we spent together. He will continue to be, in my memory,
the handsome, kind, athletic, fun-loving individual who
always remained a gentleman. ―
Bev Barnes
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After
previewing this memorial page, Chris' sister Andi (Dee) had this to say:
"The
memorial page is a beautiful tribute to my brother. I really think the
page is perfect just the way it is. Thank you so much for all the
effort you have made to do this and for adding all the reunion pictures
of him. It brought me to tears to see him with old friends.
I loved reading the comments of his OHS friends."
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Chris' family suggests that donations
made in his memory to Sunshine
Foundation, Feasterville, PA would be
a great
way to
honor our old friend.
Go to
http://www.sunshinefoundation.org/. |
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Come back to this special memorial page now and then
when you are thinking of
Chris or to see if anything
has been added.
And if you would like to add anything about Chris, please write me.
Classmates
and other visitors are invited to submit material for a special
memorial page like this
for any other
departed classmate. Just e-mail it to me.
Howie
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