Oscar Soto Jr.

Oscar Soto Jr., 77, of Great Falls, MT, loving husband, father, and grandfather, went to be with the Lord, dying peacefully in his home in Great Falls surrounded by his children on February 25, 2021. A small private ceremony was held on Thursday, March 4, 2021, at Pelican Point just south of Cascade, MT. Oscar Soto Jr. was born to Oscar and Lydia Soto on June 12, 1943, in New York City, New York. He was raised in the Bronx in New York City with his four brothers and his sister. Oscar joined the US Air Force in 1961, at the age of 17. He served his country in Vietnam as an electrician flying on board the B52 aircraft, something never done before. Returning home as a single father, he moved his two children to his next duty station where he met and married the love of his life, Elizabeth “Betty” Soto in 1972. Together with Betty, he created a blended family of seven, and traveled the world while serving his country. After 21 years of faithful service, in 1981 Oscar retired from the Air Force at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC. He continued to serve his country in Civil Service in 1985 by supporting those at Malmstrom AFB in the base housing office as the Assistant Housing Officer. He retired from Civil Service in 2004 after serving for 19 years. Oscar was an avid fisherman, and he and Betty loved going into the mountains of Montana. She would read while he would fish, a good compromise. Oscar was a kind, gentle man, and fiercely loyal to his family. He cared for Betty as she endured three separate fights with cancer, losing the last fight in 2017 with Oscar by her side. Oscar fought his own battle with lung cancer found that same year until losing the battle on February 25, 2021. He is survived by his brothers, Eleazer “Alex” Soto, Anibal “Tee” Soto and wife, Lisa, and Richard Soto, all of New Jersey; sister, Aleida “Lee” Soto of New Jersey; sisters-in-law, Dorothea “Fran” Soto of New Jersey and Leona “Lee” Huidekoper and husband, Dan of Choteau; sons, Jeff Soto and wife, Wendy of Hope Mills, NC, Thomas Soto and wife, Yvette of Great Falls, and Michael Soto and wife, Eve of Raleigh, NC; daughters, Gail (Soto) Berube and husband, John of Deerfield, NH and Andrea Herring of LaGrange, NC; grandchildren, Jessica (Soto) Morris and husband, Matt, Derek Soto, C.J. Berube and wife, Shana, Ryan Berube, Rebekah Berube, Tyler Herring, Jesse Soto, Colton Soto, Jackson Soto, and Nathan Soto; great-grandchildren, Laila Soto, Ethan Morris, Caroline Morris, Jackson Berube, Lyla Jane-Anne Berube; and numerous nieces and nephews; Air Force family and friends in Great Falls and all over the U.S. He was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth “Betty” Soto, his parents Oscar and Lydia Soto, his brother Ivan and his sister-in-law, Glenda “Gigi” Soto. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Easterseals-Goodwill (Northern Rocky Mountain) Medallion Hospice, Perfectly Imperfect Pups Rescue of Raleigh NC, or the Wounded Warrior Project.