Dr. Manuel Soto-Viera's Obituary
Dr. Manuel E. Soto-Viera, 83, passed away September 20, 2010. Dr. Soto-Viera was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. A freshman, at the age of 15, at Dartmouth College, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. At 18, he entered Harvard Law School only to find that he yearned for more knowledge of the world’s political and social struggles. He set forth to France where he sought his Masters degree at the Institute of Political Science in Paris, France.Son of Dr. Manuel Soto-Rivera, radiologist and Dr. Provi Viera-Sosa, odontologist, he followed in their footsteps by entering Medical School, at the University of Paris . After graduation, he specialized in pediatrics. As he practiced medicine he became increasingly aware of the need to correct the public health policies that would afford more children the right to a life of wellness rather than mere curative medicine. His insight and caring took him back to France where he graduated as top student at the School of Public Health in Rennes, France, and was awarded the coveted Claude Bernard Medal for excellence for his visionary dissertation. He married in France and was graced with the birth of three children, Pablo, Anita and Laurent. He returned to Puerto Rico and was appointed to a position that for the rest of his life was his greatest professional joy. As director of a medical center in one of Puerto Rico’s worse slums, he turned the center into a medical institution of excellence by focusing on wellness clinics for mothers and children. At a time when developmental pediatrics was an unrecognized medical specialty, he took on his next mission as a pioneer in this field to help his autistic son and others like him. He came to the UT Boling Child Development Center in Memphis, Tennessee, to do a fellowship in Developmental Pediatrics. Once completed, he went on to Harvard University’s Children’s Hospital where he completed a second fellowship in Developmental Pediatrics in collaboration with Dr. Melvin Levine. He returned to Memphis and as a faculty member at the University of Tennessee, he was named Director of Pediatrics at the Child Development Center until his retirement in 1993. He was board certified in pediatrics and developmental pediatrics and was a Fellow of the American Association of Pediatrics.Prior to coming to Memphis, Tennessee, he married Dr. Yvonne Fournier. Once retired he and his wife joined professionally to become one of the first pediatric-educator dyads in the country. Together they served thousands of children who otherwise would have gone misdiagnosed, undiagnosed and untreated. Dr. Soto-Viera and Dr. Fournier’s 38 year marriage was graced with a son, Manolo Soto-Fournier. Originally earning his Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering, Manolo realized that his passion to serve would best be accomplished within the medical profession. He is currently a third year medical student at the University of Tennessee.Those who knew Dr. Soto-Viera, soon realized that his mind, heart and soul led him to study all fields. Conversations soon revealed a Renaissance man versed beyond all expectations in literature, science, music, history, politics, visioning, geography, foods, languages and so much more. In his later years he translated (Reverend) Emmanuel Charles McCarthy’s lecture series on the Gospel of Nonviolence titled, Behold the Lamb. The lectures are available now to all Spanish speakers in the world at CenterforChristianNonviolence.org. He received numerous communications of readers and listeners who converted to serving Jesus’ non-violent message of “Love thy enemies”. He intensively participated in Pax Christi and other national peace and justice movements. Dr. Soto-Viera was a fervent son of his homeland, Puerto Rico. He lived all his life hoping that one day it would be a free and sovereign nation.Dr. Soto-Viera is survived by his wife, his children, Manolo, Anita and Laurent, his sister, Ornela, grandchildren, Lola, Sebastian, Diana and Daniel, his great grandchildren, Olivia and Sienna, and nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent the Hermanas Dominicas del Rosario de Fatima, P.O. Box 62, Yauco, Puerto Rico, for their service to the poor in the exact area that Dr. Soto-Viera passionately loved and spent every free moment offering free clinics the children who otherwise would have had no services.Visitation will be at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, at 277 South Fourth Street, Saturday, 9:30 to 11:00 am. A mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:00 am. A reception will follow. Gravesite ceremony at Memorial Park Cemetery will be at 4:30 pm. For more information please call Memorial Park at (901) 767-8930.
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