Jose Francisco Soto Martinez "Pancho"

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Before Sunrise on Saturday, January 20, 2018, in a room filled with love, Jose Francisco Soto Martinez, “Pancho,” peacefully departed to be with those eagerly awaiting him in Heaven. Along with our Lord, Pancho joins his Father Manuel Soto “Big Daddy O”, Mother Guadalupe M. Soto “Big Maddar” and his four siblings Manuelito, Maria Luisa, Jose Cruz and Jose Martin who preceded him in death. Those around him reflected what Pancho embodied, a will to love and be loved in good times and in hardship.

Despite standing only slightly over five feet tall, Pancho was a giant presence in the lives of everyone who knew him. He represented the best of our family and reminded us of the most important things in life like loving your mother, father, brothers and sisters with all your heart unconditionally. He also showed us what it meant to live life fearlessly and how to enjoy every spoonful of vanilla ice cream or bowl of sopita without agonizing over the small things in life that can sometimes consume the rest of us. For these and all the lessons he taught us we are thankful.

We are also thankful for the all of the things he did that will forever make us smile. All of the countless phone calls to siblings or nieces and nephews to remind us how we promised to take him to Luby’s Cafeteria; All the times he let us take walks with him around the block and greet the people he knew and the people he may not have known; All of the times he conducted Mariachi bands both publicly at family gatherings and privately in his room at home; All of the times he flashed his sheriff’s badges so we wouldn’t forget that he could arrest us if we didn’t listen to him; All of the invitations to visit San Francisco, the city he so proudly told us was named after him; and All of the times we shared meals with him at a small table in the corner of the kitchen at the place he called home for almost three quarters of a century. Pancho, we are truly blessed for having you in our lives and will never forget you. You will always make us smile.

Pancho is survived by the following family:

His sister Lupe Delgado and her husband Carlos, their children Theresa Delgado (Jim Luza), Carlos Delgado (Miriam Zambrano) and their grandchildren Cole, Andrea and Danielle; His brother Faustino Soto and his wife Olga, their children Lorena Olivarez (Carlos), Diana Soto and Daniel Soto (Yukira) and their grandchildren Joshua, Robert (Natali), Nicholas, Sabrina, Sydney, Olivia, Nathan, Dominic and Alexia; His brother Adolfo Soto, Adolfo’s children Marcus Soto (Sandra) and Steven Adolfo Soto (Nathaniel Morales), and Adolfo’s grandchildren Franco and Viggo; His sister Martha Chavez and her children Michael Robert (Crystal Michele) and Ernie (Jennifer), and Martha’s grandchildren Matthew Richard, Joshua Andrew, Rosemary and Alexander; His brother Ed Soto and his wife Jo and their children Lisa Soto (Paul Thompson), Eduardo Soto, Stephanie Marie Soto (Jorge Dominguez) and Joseph Victor Soto and their grandchildren Roque Manuel, Nia Guadalupe, Celeste Aurora and Sebastian; His sister Rosa Soto Alvillar and her husband Francisco and their children Francisco Jr. (Lilia Lorena Enciso) and Monica Victoria Alvillar (Patrick Gabaldon); and his brother Ricardo Soto and his wife Maria Elena.

Panchito also leaves behind the family who cared for him daily, his angels:

Rocio Arreola, Chayo Viramontes, Liz Gonzales, Eva Tapia, Carmen Tapia, Bety Jaramillo & Cesy Aguilar

Pancho’s medical team was not only vigilant but loved him dearly, we are grateful for the dedicated support of Dr. German Hernandez, Dr. Cecilia Steans and Rick Leyva, RN, PA who cared for and protected him.

His Spiritual needs were continuously met. His family thanks Father Allan Alaka, Father Mariano Lopez, Father Saul Pacheco and Father Rafael Garcia, in addition to the Sisters from Monastery of Adoration, for the love and attention they gave Pancho.

Pallbearers & Honorary Pallbearers - Pancho’s nephews and nieces

He was never alone, he will never be alone and we will never be alone because we will always carry him in our hearts.

Viewing and Rosary will be held at the Chapel at Loretto (1300 Hardaway) on Friday, January 26, 2018. Viewing from 4-6pm, Rosary and remarks from 6-8pm and light food from 8-9pm. The funeral service will be held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (1118 N. Mesa) on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at 10am with burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery (4301 Alameda).

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending donations to the Down Syndrome Coalition for El Paso, GiGi’s Playhouse, Special Olympics Texas or another community organization of your choosing.