My name is Pito Soto. On the evening of June 15th— Father’s Day, we lost Juan Soto, our beloved father. He was a brother to seven siblings, uncle to many, and friend to all.

In the wake of our loss, we are reaching out to the community in hopes of supporting our family through this time.

Juan Soto was born on May 25th, 1961 to Margarita and Victor Soto and he grew up alongside his seven brothers and sisters, here in Chicago. Throughout his life, he touched so many people with his outstanding personality— always there to offer conversation, share advise (often via his “Juan-isms” as many people have endearingly dubbed his words of wisdom), or just be a thoughtful listener. His life was full of love, compassion, and experiences that he regularly shared with the people around him.

In recent years, he became a regular at The Walk In, a local establishment where he quickly became a pillar there and in the Logan Square community, building deep friendships with everyone he met.

Juan was a known lover of music and his culture— most notably a listener of Bob Marley, and an avid patron of reggae, salsa, and the Blues. Recently, he was beginning to engage with these passions by learning guitar and writing poetry.

All funds raised will go directly towards memorial expenses, travel and lodging for visiting family, house cleaning expenses, and additional support for his children.

Funds will be managed by his children: Pito, Marleena, and Chaya.