Obituary of Ventura Soto

Ventura “Ben” Soto returned to his heavenly home on April 8, 2019.  Ben was born to Simon Soto and Amada Mercado on October 8, 1942 in San Juan, PR. He married Arcadia Melendez, on August 17, 1963, in San Juan, PR. Ben from the very beginning, dedicated his children to God and encouraged them to encounter God as he had done.  Ben immersed himself in the study of God’s word and Christian history; he was an educator by heart and used what he learned to teach God’s word over the years at various churches and communities.  Ben had a love of Christian books and craft books to the point that he created a vast library where he read and shared with family especially those working in the ministry.  Ben, his wife and their 4 children had a puppet ministry where they went to the streets in PR taking the word of God to the children in the neighborhood.  Ben also had a love for the arts where he created puppets, paper Mache decorations and plaster crafts.   Ben also loved the old hymns and classical music.  When he wasn’t reading, creating crafts or checking his stamp collection he would listen to classical hymns and music.  Ben was known for his garage sale finds and would share how expensive particular tools, books or trinkets were and would say with a smirk on his face, it cost me $2.50.    

Ben is survived by his wife, Arcadia Melendez, his sons David Soto and Andrew Maldonado; his daughters Ruth Maldonado, Rebeca Burgos, and Andrea Maldonado; his grandchildren, Jeremias Soto, Emanuel Soto, Raquel Burgos, Francisco Burgos, Jr., Christian Soto, Daniel Soto; great grandchildren Victor Maldonado, Lohgon Shelton, Daniel Maldonado and Abigail Rose Maldonado; and his two brothers William Soto, Ruben Soto and two sisters Noelia Urrutia and Elsa Rosado. He is predeceased by his eldest son Juan Soto and his parents.