Asuncion Ruiz Dorotheo, lovingly known as “Sonie”, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family and friends on April 12, 2026, at the age of 70 in Carmel.

Sonie was born in Bacolod City in the Negros Occidental province of the Philippines to Paz Ruiz Dorotheo and Ricardo Dorotheo II. She grew up in Cebu City, graduating cum laude from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City and completed medical school at the University of the East in Manila.

Sonie came to the United States in 1982 and met her future husband Carlito in Los Angeles while studying for their medical exams. They were married in 1984 in Brooklyn, New York. They would spend the next few years across Florida, Illinois, and New York before setting roots in Indiana in 1985 where they would both practice as physicians. She completed her residency and fellowship training at Indiana University. For the next 30+ years, she practiced as a neonatologist at Riley, St. Vincent / Woman’s, and Community North hospitals. If not for her cancer, we don’t know when she would’ve stopped - she loved taking care of her babies!

She lived a selfless and hard working life devoted to others, expressing her creativity through her garden and crafts, and traveling and tasting the wonders of the world. She’s fondly remembered for designing and creating her own greeting cards and making 100s every year for her NICU patients and coworkers. Her gardening routine had her up before the sun, collecting coffee grounds across the city, and sharing plants with everyone she met. She believed expanding your perspectives through experiencing different cultures and cuisines was an integral part of life, especially if chocolate was involved.

Sonie was pre-deceased by her husband of 42 years, Carlito, and her bother Rey. She is survived by her daughter Sheryl, husband Sean, and grandson Ciaran, and her son Eric, and wife Ellen; brothers Roland (Divina), Ricardo III (Dinah); sisters, Jocelyn (Guillermo), and Mary Ellen (Eugenio).

Visitation for both Asuncion and her late husband, Carlito, will be from 4-8pm on Thursday, May 7th, 2026, at Flanner Buchanan – Carmel (325 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel, IN 46032). A Mass will take place at 10am on Friday, May 8th, 2026, at St. Monica’s Catholic Church, 6131 Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46228.

A Reception will follow from 11:30am-3:30pm at the church, please RSVP for the reception only: RSVP HERE

Memorial contributions can be written to "In Memory of Asuncion Dorotheo or Carlito Sabandal" to IU Lung Cancer Research (this will directly fund her doctor's research to cure EGFR mutation research in lung cancer.): IU Lung Cancer Research

Burial will take place at a later time at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery.