The Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard Pattaya (RCES), through their President
Carl R Dyson, the board and membership have the sad news to confirm the
untimely demise of their valued member and former ADG, RCES Past President
Steve Ryser.
Stefan Ryser
9 Dec. 1962 - 23 Apr. 2012
Steve departed peacefully after a long struggle with his
health at the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, with his wife Toy at his bedside.
Lotti his sister and Colette her daughter and friends from all over the
world are expected to attend the funeral services, to be advised as soon as
available.
Steve Ryser leaves behind a great void in all Rotary
Circles in the Kingdom of Thailand. He served on District level as Assistant
Governor and PETS Instructor to further friendship, harmony and better
understanding of Rotary values and rules. On Club level Steve was an
integral, valued part of RCES for more than a half a dozen years, serving
the club and membership in numerous positions culminating as president
during the Rotary year 2007 / 08.
Steve’s training classes with the club sponsored
Thai-English DVD as a learning instrument will long be remembered for his
personal devotion and genuine interest provided to school going children.
His direct influence in improving education and lifestyle to the
underprivileged in Thailand are legendary. He had made it a point, whenever
possible, to visit schools and families personally which are all part of the
RCES reasons to be.
“Steve’s Champagne Bar” at the RCES Annual Christmas Fair
or his “1st August Garden Party” at his residence are events long to be
remembered by those who have witnessed his congenial friendship.
Steve was a recognized, high-profile Rotarian far beyond
the borders of the Kingdom of Thailand with deep rooted personal connections
in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherland, Italy and many more countries.
Stefan was born in Zurich, the banking capital of
Switzerland. His father was a successful architect, and Stefan was the
youngest of three children. He attended school in Zurich, and by his own
admission was just a midfielder in the academic stakes. However, he knew
what he wanted to be by the time he was 12 years old. He wanted to be a
chef. “I used to help mother in the kitchen when I was young. I liked the
thought of the different possibilities you can have in cooking - the foods,
the cultures, everything.”
After secondary school he went to catering college and
three years later emerged as a qualified chef, to immediately move from
Switzerland to Norway. He stayed there, land based, for a short interval
then joined a cruise line, the Royal Viking. This was to give him his first
taste of the mystic orient, aged 21 years, at a time when the less
adventurous are only just getting the key of the door!
During the next three years he cruised all over the
world, but he resigned, despite the attractions of the job. “I stopped,
because if you don’t stop, you never stop. It’s a sickness! You can see the
whole world as a young guy. It doesn’t cost you anything.”
His next port of call for his “dry land” experiences was
the Philippines. He spent the first twelve months touring and then did what
most chefs do - he set up a restaurant/bar. The reasons looked right at the
time. It looked to be an easy life and the language was no problem. The
timing was a problem however, as the country was in the changeover between
the Marcos and Aquino administrations. Life was becoming dangerous, and it
was no more fun, so he pulled up his hook and returned to Switzerland.
He worked there for twelve months, but this, he found,
was not the right move either. “It was horrible. It was not possible for me
to fit into the framework (of life in organized Switzerland) any more.”
His next port of call was directly to Pattaya. He knew of
the resort city from the days on the cruise liner and even had a few friends
here. That was 1989. He opened a cocktail bar, which he ran for three years
and then helped set up the kitchen of the Mama Restaurant in Soi Diamond.
After that, it was into his own restaurant on Second Road, “The Barrel”
which he had for the next four years, but after selling it in 1996 he
decided to retire. “Retirement is a very dangerous job,” says Stefan, “Do
you know anyone who has survived it?” was his light-hearted throwaway line.
During that time, he set up the Formula 1 Sauber Fan Club
in Pattaya, which at one point even made the acquaintance of team owner,
Peter Sauber. He played golf. He supervised the building of his house - and
played the stock market.
Returning to the F1 involvement, Stefan’s father, as well
as being a bit of an individualist, was also a motor racing enthusiast, and
would take young Stefan with him to watch race meetings. As a youngster,
Stefan did have some motor racing aspirations, but these were transitory and
not the all consuming passion that it has to be for those who actually
compete; however, the interest has always been there.
His advice to anyone is to go out and see the world - and
be happy. “When the sun comes up, it’s another beautiful day. Even when
you’re having a bad day on the golf course, there’s orchids and birds -
that’s also important.”
Stefan Ryser was an interesting man, with a very deep and
thoughtful nature. A man whose main theme was “Have Fun” and he certainly
seemed to know how to do that. There’s probably a lesson in there for us
all.
Stefan’s life, though ending prematurely, was one that he
enjoyed, right until his final hour. Pattaya is a poorer place without him.
Steve, we miss you - RIP.
