Phasakorn Channgam
Civic leaders, Rotarians, friends and family members are
mourning the death of Stefan Emil Ryser, a former Rotary Club of the Eastern
Seaboard president, Swiss chef and Pattaya bar owner.
Banglamung Deputy Dean of
Monks Phipitkijjarak performs the funeral rites.
Nongprue Mayor Mai Chaiyanit and Pattaya Deputy Mayor
Ronakit Ekasingh were among the guests at Ryser’s May 2 funeral at Nongprue
Temple. Ryser, 49, died April 23 after a prolonged battle with cancer. He is
survived by his wife, Toy, and his 5-month-old son Nico.
Giving the eulogy at the Buddhist ceremony presided over
by Banglamung Deputy Dean of Monks Phipitkijjarak, Nongprue Deputy Mayor
Anak Patanangam recalled a litany of achievements, good deeds and
self-sacrifice Ryser became renowned for during his many years in Pattaya.
Anak called him a pillar of society and good example to today’s youth.
Raised by his sister, Lotti, in Switzerland, Ryser first
came to Pattaya while traveling around the world working as a cook for
Norwegian Cruise Lines. After a stop in Manila, he settled down in Pattaya
in 1989, buying a house in the then jungle-filled East Pattaya and opening
The Barrel Bar, which quickly became a meeting point and dining favorite
among Pattaya’s Swiss community.
Nongprue Mayor Mai Chaiyanit
lays down sandalwood before the cremation.
During this time, he founded the Sauber F1 club, which
helped raise money for disadvantaged children through such avenues as the
Jesters Care for Kids campaign. It marked the beginning of what would become
a long history of public service.
Ryser joined the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya, then
moved on to the Eastern Seaboard club in 2005 where he became known as a
go-between in critical debates, leader in creating matching grants and
active language teacher using Rotary-created language compact discs. He and
Toy served as successive presidents of RCES from 2007-2009, with him taking
a post as deputy governor for District 3340.
Even as Ryser struggled with serious health problems, he
still continued to participate in Rotary functions, always wanting to see
projects through to the end.
Toy Ryser (3rd right) listens
as the monks give her beloved husband a final prayer.
Peter Malhotra presents a
saffron robe for the departed.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh
presents a robe dedicated to the departed.
Nongprue Deputy Mayor Anak
Patanangam, representing the Ryser family, reads the obituary.
Stefan’s sister Lotti
reminisces about the young man’s life.
On Monday April 30, about 50
children of the Child Protection and Development Centre went to Steve
Ryser’s house to pay him their last respects. This was just a part of the
Buddhist ceremony sponsored by the Human Help Network Foundation Thailand.
Thus HHNFT and CPDC wanted to thank him once more for all his efforts and
his great support towards the foundation.
Family, relatives, friends,
members of Rotary Club 3340 and honored guests say their final goodbyes.
