Martha Rose Soto

Newport, RI - Martha Rose VonVillas Soto, 59, of 32 Hammond Street, Newport, RI, died Friday, November 19, 2010 one day before her 60th Birthday, at the Grand Islander Health Care Center where she made her home for the last 6 months.She was the beloved wife of the late Paul Edward Soto. Born in Newport, RI on November 20, 1950, she was the daughter of Nicoletta DiMento VonVillas of Newport, RI and the late George A. VonVillas. Martha was a 1969 graduate of Rogers High School and a 1971 graduate of Bryant College. She worked as a medical secretary at RI Hospital, Newport Hospital and for Dr. Cahill. She then went on to become a Para educator for kindergarteners in numerous schools in Newport, including Carey, Cranston Calvert, Underwood and after 23 years retiring from Coggeshall School. Martha also worked for Blackstone Catering for several years. Martha loved her days of being a member of Gooseberry Beach and her beach days, going out to dinner with her friends, shopping and her Saturday trips with her mother. She was a communicant of St. Augustins Church. Martha believed in paying it forward and nothing was more important to her then spending time with her granddaughters whom she lived for. She is survived by her daughters, Angela M. Johnson and her husband Robert and Stephanie A. Soto all of Newport, RI, her granddaughters Mia A. Finn and Alana R. Finn of Newport, RI, her sister Deborah A. Watkins and her husband Robert of Newport, RI, her nieces, Nicole Robinson and her companion of 10 years Matt Powell and Lindsay Watkins, her great niece Hailey Robinson and many cousins. Calling hours will be held on Monday, November 22, 2010, from 4-8 in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, November 23, 2010, at 9:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St. Augustins Church, Carroll Avenue, Newport.Burial will be in St. Columbas Cemetery in Middletown. Donations in her memory may be made to Women and Infants Oncology, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02903.