Countess Irene Wedell

Countess Irene Wedell 1932 – 2010 Countess Irene Wedell was founding president of the Danish support group, Pattaya Dansk Fonden 2003, from 2003 to 2009. She first visited Pattaya in 1999 when she volunteered at Fr. Ray’s projects, spending her days playing with the babies and toddlers, changing diapers, helping at meal times and bathing the children. She also became interested in the plight of the street kids of Pattaya, particularly young girls, and it was during this time that she became good friends with Fr. Ray. In 2003 when scurrilous reports about Fr. Ray appeared in the Danish media, the Countess stood and defended her friend, publicly stating that the accusations were untrue and she would be continuing to support the work in Pattaya. This support came in the form of the Pattaya Dansk Fonden 2003 and they have continued to support the work of the Father Ray Foundation, most recently supporting the building of the Half Way House at the Fr. Ray Drop-In Center. Countess Irene was a Lady in Waiting to Her Majesty Queen Margrethe of Denmark and in 1997 the Countess became the first non-Royal to be honoured with the title, Lady of the Bedchamber. Her charity work was not devoted just to the work in Pattaya as she was also involved with the Danish Red Cross and the Danish Refugee Council. Countess Irene lived in a castle, the beautiful Frijsenborg in Jutland, and each year she opened the castle doors to the paying public and all proceeds were sent to Pattaya. Countess Irene Wedell was buried near her home in Denmark, but on the morning of her funeral a special Memorial Mass was held in Fr. Ray’s chapel. Attended by over 100 children and workers they came to pay respect to a lady whose devotion to the children of Pattaya has greatly improved their lives.