Jose Martir Soto

To Jose Martir Soto, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Jose, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Jose really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

      Jose was born on January 12, 1963 at El Salvador in San José Santa Clara Pasaquina Depto. La Unión. His parents were Santos Gilberto y Maria Flora Soto. Jose was raised in San José Santa Clara Pasaquina Depto. La Unión. Even as a child, Jose had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

      Always a good playmate, Jose was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Jose managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Jose was raised with Ten siblings. He had one older Sister Ana, and seven younger sisters, Mabelita, Enilda, Addys, Mauda, Sonia, Roxana, and Geraldina, and two younger brothers Ismael (Mayito) and Jaime.

      All of Jose's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Jose experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in soccer, being his favorite sport. In his spare time he liked to climb trees and go swimming in the river.

      Jose never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Jose to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Jose delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Jose was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Jose utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. From a very young age he has always been best friends with Amilcar Pereira. Later in life, he became best friends with many among them his youngest friend Liam Cruz. Jose loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

      The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Jose very easy to approach. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

      Perhaps the reason Jose related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Jose was blessed with Two children, One son Gilberto Eduardo and one daughter Jessica Marily. They were also blessed with Three grandchildren, Gilbert Israel, Abigail Alexandria, and Edward Martír. Jose had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Jose's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Jose had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

      At work, as in life, Jose was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Jose liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Jose was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Jose's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Jose as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was construction. He loved remodeling homes and small retail stores. He was self-employed for many years.

      Jose enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Jose liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were fishing and camping. Jose was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

      Jose felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Jose loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Jose relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Jose never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreational sports included soccer and volleyball. Jose was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were soccer, basketball, baseball and football.

      Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Jose recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of Jehovah’s Witness for 5 years. During that time, he was an enthusiastic publisher. Always eager to preach the good news to friends and family.

      Jose passed away on May 6, 2020 at Home in Cleveland, Texas. Jose fought a brave battle against cancer. He is survived by wife Paula, his children Gilberto Eduardo and wife Claudia, his daughter Jessica Marily and husband Santiago, and grandchildren Gilbert Israel, Abigail Alexandria, Edward Martír. Services were held at home by William Cruz. Jose was laid to rest in Brookside Cemetery in Houston, TX.

      Jose brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Jose Martir Soto lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.

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José Martír Soto nació el 12 de enero de 1963 en San Jose Santa Clara

Pasaquina Departamento La Union, El Salvador. Falleció el 5 de mayo de 2020 a la edad de 57 años rodeado de su familia. Inmigró a EEUU en el año 1980 donde conoció a su esposa Paula Soto a quien se unió en matrimonio el 25 de noviembre de 1981.

Simbolizó su dedicación a Jehová el 28 de marzo de 2015. Desde el momento que conoció la verdades bíblicas se dedicó a compartirlas con sus amigos cercanos y familiares así como a toda persona posible. Lo recordaremos por su inquebrantable fe en Jehová. Su buenas cualidades lo acercaron a muchas personas. Era una persona cariñosa, humilde, bondadoso, pacífico y hospitalario. Se caracterizaba por su amor por la hermandad y su familia. Disfrutaba estar en compañía de su familia y amigos. Siempre antepuso sus interés por los de los demás.

Su familia y amigos lo conocían como Martír. Siempre tenía una sonrisa y buen sentido del humor. Aunque lo vamos extrañar y estamos entristecidos por nuestra pérdida, nos regocijamos por su lealtad a Jehová hasta al ultimo suspiro. Estamos seguros de que se ha probado fiel hasta la misma muerte. (Lucas 21:19) Tenemos la certeza que pronto tendrá el gran privilegio de escuchar la voz de Jesucristo llamándolo por su nombre y él se levantará. Mientras tanto nosotros pelearemos la excelente pelea para estar de nuevo junto a él en el Paraíso. (Apocalipsis 21:3, 4)

Deseamos expresar nuestro más profundo agradecimiento a todos por el apoyo que nos han brindado en estos tiempos difíciles. Gracias por el cariño sincero que siempre han tenido hacia nuestro querido esposo, padre, y abuelo.

-Familia Soto

José Martír Soto was born on January 12, 1963 in San José Santa Clara

Pasaquina Department La Union, El Salvador. He passed away on May 5, 2020 at the age of 57 surrounded by his family. He immigrated to the United States in 1980 where he met his wife Paula Soto, whom he joined in marriage on November 25, 1981.

He symbolized his dedication to Jehovah on March 28, 2015. From the moment he learned about biblical truths, he dedicated himself to sharing them with his close friends and family as well as everyone possible. We will remember him for his unwavering faith in Jehovah. His good qualities brought him close to many people. He was a caring, humble, kind, peaceful and hospitable person. He was characterized by his love for the brotherhood and his family. He enjoyed being in the company of his family and friends. He always showed his interest for others.

His family and friends knew him as Martír. He always had a smile and a good sense of humor. Although we will miss him and are saddened by our loss, we rejoice in his loyalty to Jehovah to the last breath. We are sure that he has been proven faithful until death itself. (Luke 21:19) We are certain that he will soon have the great privilege of hearing the voice of Jesus Christ calling him by name and he will rise up. Meanwhile we will fight the excellent fight to be with him again in Paradise. (Revelation 21: 3, 4)

We wish to express our deepest thanks to all for the support you have given us in these difficult times. Thank you for the sincere affection that you have always had towards our dear husband, father, and grandfather.

-Soto family