Darren McGarry (Key Visa Co)
Wednesday December 7, 2022, Pattaya, Thailand
It is with a sad and heavy heart we report the death of Darren McGarry (Key Visa Co).
He was a good friend and very generous sponsor of PEC since 2005, later a Board Member, and always available for Expats who needed help with Immigration problems.
The traditional Thai funeral was held at Wat Nong Ket Noi, Nong Pla Lai, Chonburi, 12 December 2022.
We miss a very capable colleague.
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From PEC Vice President:
Key Visa Co, Lead Agent – Darren McGarry, had been part of the Pattaya Expats Club since July 2005 (17+ years). I remember, the club was holding a Staff party at a well known Irish Pub, and during a break in the festivities Darren approached me and asked if he could attend our next PEC meeting with a view to giving advice to our members about Immigration rules. Niels Colov & Richard Ravensdale agreed it was a good idea, and the rest – as they say – is history.
Over the years he and I developed a close working relationship, whereby he would inform me of all the Immigration changes, and proof read the visa-page of our website, in return for my acknowledging his input, which I was delighted to do. I’m sure he must have given at least 20 talks on the mysteries of Immigration, and always to a sell-out audience at our club. Although he was firm in his dealings with individuals, he also had an empathy for their needs and problems. He once said to me “I realize I can’t save everyone, but I’m doing my best.”
He is going to be a very hard act to follow, and I shall miss him as a buddy.
R.I.P Darren – Brian Maxey
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Christian Foerster
2022, Austria
It is with much sadness that we recently learned of the death of Christian Foerster in his home country of Austria. We have no details of when, or the cause. The information came from a close acquaintance. He was 78 years old.
Christian joined PEC October 2010, and very soon joined the Meeting Production Team. He was elected to the Board of Trustees December 2014, and remained our Meeting Cashier until his return to Austria in July 2022.
Christian spoke German and English, and was a very active team member of the PEC German Language Club which also met every week (at a different location). He leaves a lot of friends in all expat clubs in Pattaya, and will be sorely missed.
Rest in Peace Christian.
If anyone has more information please contact Brian Maxey 0896043646.
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Ronald Fleitman
Friday July 15, 2022, Pattaya, Thailand
It is with great sadness we announce the death of our very long-time member and friend Ronald Jay Fleitman, beloved husband of Loran Davidson.
This from a close friend…
Last night (Friday July 15, 2022) our beloved Ronnie Fleitman aka “Big Daddy” passed away at home, aged 86. Loran is dealing with a ton of details, she called at 8 a.m. Sat. to share the sad news.
He was struggling with the recovery from chemotherapy for cancer. Based on my last 2 visits to their house, and seeing the condition our dear friend had devolved to, it is a blessing.
I do feel concern for Loran as she deals with the Jewish funeral as Ron requested, in Bangkok.
Recent message from Loran…
My wonderful husband of some 37 years passed away in his bed last night. He had been unwell for a while. Ron wanted a Jewish funeral with Rabbi Kantor in Bangkok.
Rest In Peace Ronnie.
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Richard Ravensdale
Friday, 7 August 2020, Pattaya, Thailand
It is with great sadness we report the passing of our dear British friend and PEC colleague RICHARD RAVENSDALE (FRGS), aged 69 years.
Richard attended the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital with severe chest pains in the afternoon, was admitted to their ICU and died a short time later, despite resuscitation attempts.
Richard’s family in the UK arranged for a simple Buddhist cremation ceremony, at Wat Nong Yai, North Pattaya.
Richard has been a valued member of the Pattaya Expats Club ‘Production Team’ from its very early days at Astoria Resort 2002 (next to the Dusit Thani Hotel), right through to our recent venue at Amari Hotel Resort.
He gave 7 years service as Vice President PEC, 16 years as a Board Member, 18 years as Meeting & Program Manager, meticulous stage presenter, event organizer and newsletter writer.
Richard has micro-managed PEC through all of this and it would be fair to say that PEC is what Richard has made it. Indeed a difficult act to follow.
Thank you Richard, for your dedication to our Club, its members, and Pattaya.
Richard’s young home-life was centered in Devon, South West England, and after graduating from Plymouth College of Art & Design, and Exeter University, in Educational TV Production, Film & Photography at age 21, Richard spent the next 20 years traveling around Asia and Australia.
He spent a lot of time in the Himalayan region and fronted many exploratory expeditions to Mustang, Nepal, Mt. Kailash, Tibet, Zanskar and Ladakh through his Travel & Overseas Adventure Tours Company, based in Devon. This included scuba diving tours to Thailand.
His photography training earned him a Fellowship of the prestigious Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) in 1978 for contribution to Himalayan ethnographic photography.
Around 1997 Richard moved to Pattaya and for the next 5 years managed a Beach Resort of apartments in Wong Amat Bay, where he connected with the Pattaya Expats Club (PEC), then in its infancy.
Throughout his time with PEC he continued to visit the displaced Tibetan refugees in Nepal at least twice a year until 2018, through his very successful registered UK charity ‘Trek Aid’, where he would organize worldwide professionals to volunteer their time to provide aid & help to the refugees, as well as supervise numerous development projects for youth vocational training, medical aid, elderly care, school sponsorship, construction of homeless family homes and community halls.
Richard expressed a profound sense of ‘loss’ when the charity finally closed, and he had to cease his officially sanctioned trips to Nepal refugee camps.
His talent for life was much more than this short synopsis can ever express.
A video showing Richard interviewing an author for local Pattaya television is on Youtube
