Crusita Soto Lopez

In Loving Memory
Crusita Soto Lopez
May 10, 1942 - July 8, 2025
Age 83
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and matriarch, who left us on July 8, 2025, at the age of 83.
Born on May 10, 1942, in the beautiful town of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, she carried the warmth of the Caribbean sun and the strength of its people throughout her remarkable life in Brooklyn, New York, and Florida.
She was a woman who understood that love is not just a feeling, but an action, expressed through countless small gestures, warm embraces, and the unwavering devotion she showed to her family every single day.
Her hands, worn soft by years of caring for others, were always ready to comfort, to heal, to nurture, and to give.
From the shores of Puerto Rico to Brooklyn, New York, and finally to her Florida home, she built a life rooted in faith, family, and an endless capacity for love.
She was the kind of mother who made everyone feel like they were her favorite, the grandmother whose lap was always available for stories and comfort, and the friend who remembered every birthday, every worry, and every joy.
Her kitchen was the heart of her home, where the aroma of traditional dishes filled the air, and where three generations gathered around her table.
Crusita's home was always filled with the warmth of her hospitality and the love she poured into every authentic Puerto Rican meal she created. Many were blessed to experience the comfort of her table, where no one ever left hungry and everyone felt like family.
She taught us that food prepared with love nourishes not just the body, but the soul. Her pasteles were legendary, but her love was her masterpiece.
She possessed a quiet strength that carried her family through every season of life. In times of celebration, she was our joy multiplied. In times of sorrow, she was our anchor. In times of uncertainty, she was our compass pointing toward hope.
Her wisdom came not from books, but from a life lived with purpose, grace, and an unwavering commitment to those she loved.
Though she has returned to the embrace of her Creator, her legacy lives on in every lesson she taught, every value she instilled, and every life she touched.
She showed us how to love without conditions, how to give without expecting, and how to find beauty in the simplest moments.
She is survived by her partner, Victor Martinez, and her sister, Carmen Soto.
Her loving children include Isa Herrera, Rosa Herrera, Nancie Salicrup, Manuel Mercado, Magda Colon, Carmen Soto, and Angel Martínez.
Her cherished grandchildren are: Nathan Mercado, Sydney Ryan Salicrup, Crystal Fernando-Rodriguez, Nicole Colon, Justyn Colon, Austyn Colon, Vanessa Katherine Mercado, Jodie Arlene Mercado, Destiny Marie Mercado, Ella Jade Ondrick, Logan Martinez, and Brian Gonzalez.
Her precious great-grandchildren include: Madison Rae Rodriguez, Ariana Colon, Ava Serenity Cummings, Maxine Wednesday Simon, Emelia Violet Simon, Cristiano Simon, Aniyah Marie Rivera, Zayden Jonah Rivera, Kaylee Lynn Rivera, Xavien Macho Maldonado, Jamie Zion Mercado, and Brian Gonzalez, Jr.
A celebration of Crusita's beautiful life will be held over two days at Toale Brothers Funeral Home & Crematory - Ewing Chapel, located at 140 E. Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34285.
Saturday, July 19th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM - Memorial Service. A funeral service will be held at 12:00PM.
Sunday, July 20th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM - Celebration of Life
For more information, please contact (941) 242-7937.
"Her legacy is not in what she left behind, but in the love she planted in our hearts that will bloom forever."
Until we meet again, rest in peace, beautiful soul. Your love continues in each of us.