Remedios Nieto del Río, Pharmaceutical Businesswoman and Charitable Figure in Marbella, Passes Away

Pharmaceutical entrepreneur and community leader in Marbella Remedios Nieto del Río has passed away last Wednesday night at the age of 79. The philanthropist could not overcome the severe effects caused by a stroke for which she was admitted to the Quirón Hospital in Marbella.

The entire Costa del Sol mourns the loss of one of the pioneers of charity in the province. The wake has been set up at her home in Guadalmina, and a mass will be held at 6:00 PM this Thursday at the San Pedro parish church prior to her burial.

Remedios Nieto was born in Granada in 1945. She graduated in Pharmacy from the University of Granada, earned a doctorate with research on synthetic penicillins, and also studied Biological Sciences. In 1989, she passed the exams of the Ministry of Public Works and the School of Civil Engineers, obtaining the title of Real Estate Agent. As a businesswoman, she established a chain of fourteen boutiques and perfumeries.

In the early sixties, newly married and with her husband Juan del Río—also a doctor in Pharmacy and father of her four children—she decided to settle in San Pedro Alcántara. Since then, her residence became a regular venue for charitable events that gathered personalities from the business, cultural, and aristocratic worlds.

Pharmacist, entrepreneur, public relations expert, organizer of lavish events, she was also the founder of the association Aspandem and the foundation Fundatul, for the care, training, promotion, and inclusion of people with disabilities, at a time when Corporate Social Responsibility was not commonly discussed. Today, Aspandem serves hundreds of users, conducts occupational workshops, and manages nurseries and supervised housing.

Almost a year ago, she recalled in an interview with this newspaper the years of the jet set in Marbella and remarked: "My parents always told me that talking about money was vulgar, today you go to a meeting and the first thing they talk about is how much money they have. And you don't know if the person talking actually has money. Some believe others have more money when what they really have is good taste, style, class. They want to hold a position, but it's life that grants it to you."

Regarding the construction of the Aspandem center, she also explained how she managed to raise 600,000 pesetas by showing the movie A View to a Kill, featuring Roger Moore as James Bond, on Adnan Kashoggi's yacht.