Maria Soto

Services are scheduled at 9:30 A.M. Thursday, September 19, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church for Maria Cruz Soto, 600 Pennsylvania, Lake Arthur, New Mexico. Mrs. Soto, 63, died Saturday, September 14, 2002 at the University Hospital of Colorado in Denver, Colorado. Burial will follow at Woodbine Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Frankie Grado, Jr., Martin Chavarria, Larry Lopez, David Luna, Edward Rubio and Jimmy Grado. Honorary pallbearers will be Roy Overton and Johnny Luna. A rosary service is also scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Grace Church. Mrs. Soto was born May 2, 1939 in Redford, Texas; the daughter of Jose Grado and Patricia Bejarano Grado. She came from Redford to the Artesia area in 1954. In June of 1958 she was married to Ernesto M. Soto in Carlsbad, N.M. She was a housewife and member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Lake Arthur. She also served as an Election Official for Lake Arthur for over 20 years. She was preceded in death by her parents; by brothers Jose Grado, Armin Grado and Manuel Grado; and by sisters Felicita Valenzuela, Maria Luna and Celestina Lopez. Survivors include her husband Ernesto Soto of the family home; sons Ernie Soto, Jr. of Alamogordo, N.M., Frankie Soto, Robert Soto and Richard Soto all of Artesia and Freddie Soto of Lake Arthur; brothers Jesus Grado of Morton, Texas, Marcos Grado of Lubbock, Texas, Francisco Grado of Carlsbad and Isidro Grado of Lake Arthur; a sister Socorro Grado of Fort Stockton, Texas; seven grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.