Beatrice "Bea" Joan Soto

Breaux Bridge - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 pm, Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at St. Bernard Catholic Church for Beatrice "Bea" Joan Soto, 72, who passed away on Monday, September 25, 2023, at HCA Florida Fort Walton - Destin Hospital.

A visitation will take place at the funeral home in Breaux Bridge on Monday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and will continue on Tuesday from 11:00 am to 11:30 am 

A rosary will be prayed at 5:00 PM on Monday lead by Wendy and Michael Soto.

Father Garrett McIntyre will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Readers will be Michael Soto and Wendy Soto. Gift bearers will be Bernard Soto and Mary Soto.

Interment will follow at St. Bernard Mausoleum - No. 1.

Beatrice was born on August 22, 1951, in Monroe, LA. Bea graduated from Bastrop High School in 1969, then went on to pursue a Registered Nursing degree from USL in Lafayette, LA, in 1973. In 1984, Bea received a Masters in Health Education from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, La. In 1991, she graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fl. with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medicine, becoming a nationally board-certified Physician's Assistant.

Bea started the first Urodynamics lab and program at White Wilson Clinic in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Bea was a Marketing Director for Capital Rehab in Tallahassee, Florida and was awarded the National Marketing Director in the United States. She was the director of a comprehensive pelvic and bladder rehab program, that she designed and developed at a large Urological Clinic in Panama City, Florida.  She lectured on bladder health both nationally and internationally in Israel. In her medical career she was a continuing education coordinator in several hospitals. She appeared on numerous TV talk shows and radio talk programs for medical and public education.

Bea lived a full and vibrant life. She loved to make people laugh and was very compassionate with her patients. She loved her family, her career in medicine, playing golf, traveling, reading, and volunteering. 

She is survived by her Step-mother, Jan Soto; sisters, Frances Lane (Sam), Christine Dufrene (Kris), and Mary Soto; brothers, Bernard Soto, Stephen Soto, and Michael Soto (Wendy); and best friend of many years, Janene Barber.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Bernard and Aline Talley Soto. 

Pallbearers will be Bernard Soto, Michael Soto, Sam Lane, Kris Dufrene, Allen Soto, and Bob Underwood.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 211 Berard St, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements.