Jorge Sotomayor Contreras, longtime pastor and ministry leader, died Nov. 2 in Harlingen. He was 65. He was born March 6, 1960, in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico, to Ramón Sotomayor Wisner and María Elena Contreras. He graduated from the Antonio Narro Autonomous Agrarian University as a veterinarian before discerning a call to ministry. In 1995, he left his professional field to serve as a missionary with Adventures in Mission in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. In 1998, he became pastor of Los Vecinos Baptist Church in Harlingen, where he served the congregation and community for 26 years. His ministry included partnership with Summer Medical Institute of Philadelphia, collaboration with Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen and preaching to thousands of young people detained by immigration authorities at the Valley Baptist Mission Center. He also participated in community initiatives with the Harlingen Police Department and was active in the Rio Grande Valley Baptist Association through prayer committees, youth work, pastors’ fellowship and men’s ministry. He served as a chaplain at Valley Baptist Medical Center. He is survived by his wife, Socorro Sotomayor; son Jorge Alberto Sotomayor and his wife Estefany; and six grandchildren.
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