Maria Elena Soto Palacio, 85, of Greenville, SC, died Saturday, March 28, 2020 – finally at peace to join the love of her life. A private funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, April 4 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Greenville. An inurnment ceremony to be scheduled at a later date.
Her loving family of seven children, 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren can take some solace in their grief knowing she is reunited with her husband, Manuel Jose Soto, the gregarious and dashing, red-headed soccer player she married nearly 60 years ago.
Born in San Roque, Antioquia, Colombia on July 28, 1934, Maria Elena was dedicated and true. She had a relentless love for God and devotion to her Catholic faith. She could sew beautifully, whether it was practical clothing for her children or intricate, delicate scenes on tablecloths and napkins. She loved through her cooking – whether it was her made-from-scratch stews or soups or just a snack; you couldn’t leave her home without eating something. She had a green thumb and a passion for plants, sometimes coercing her husband and children to grab cuttings during walks so she could grow them at home.
She loved to search out a great bargain and make a dollar stretch a mile. She used those skills to help keep the family afloat countless times, especially in the lean years after she leapt continents with her husband and young children, in search of new opportunities. That steadfastness also meant years of working long weekend or overnight shifts in the textile mill.
In the midst of it all, she kept faith and a sense of humor. If you spent time with her, you knew that before you left, you’d be bending down so she could reach you to give you her blessing. She loved the arts, classical music and poetry. She kept a now-worn journal of love lyrics and poetry from her days of courtship with Manuel Jose. This made-of-steel woman, the under-5-foot dynamo we called mamita, crafted a legacy of grace and grit. We hope to live up to it and pass it on.
She leaves behind her children: Miguel Angel Soto (Dorelby); Jose Soto (Christine); Alberto Soto (Gloria); Marta Matthews (Curt); Olga Bannister (Jeff); Lucy Soto (Stephen Macauley); Elizabeth Conway (David); her grandchildren: Fernando (Grace), Andrea, Guy Joseph (Heather); Justen (Linda), Steven (fiancé, Katherine), Stefanie (partner, Carlos), Diego Reese, Katherine (Eric), Michael, Lucas, Sofia, Joseph and Gabriela; and her great-grandchildren: Taryn, Daniel, Benjamin, Ronin and Ethan Manuel, who preceded her in death.
Please refrain from sending any flowers. Instead, please donate to St. Anthony of Padua’s Food Pantry: 307 Gower Street, Greenville, SC 29611 Arrangements under the direction of Woodlawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park, Greenville, SC.
