Rev. Robert Cabrera Huerta

Robert Cabrera Huerta (November 16, 1945 – January 13, 2026), a devoted pastor, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away surrounded by family on January 13, 2026.

Pastor Bob was a seasoned and faithful shepherd whose life was marked by service, dedication, and love for both God and people. He received his first ministerial credentials in 1968 and was ordained in 1971. From 1970 to 1974, he served as assistant pastor at the United Pentecostal Church on Luda Street in Elgin, where he also developed a Spanish-speaking congregation to meet the growing needs of the community.

Pastor Bob poured his heart and soul into ministry, both locally and abroad. He played a key role in establishing a Bible training program in Ecuador designed to equip ministers with limited formal education, helping them strengthen their reading and study skills so they could rightly divide the Word of Truth. During his years in Ecuador, he pastored a church in Santo Domingo de los Colorados for one year and later served as pastor of the headquarters church in Quito for two years, all while continuing to develop the Bible school. He returned to the United States in 1978 and resumed assistant pastoring.

His commitment to learning and leadership was evident throughout his life. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from New Life Christian College in 1968, a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Judson University in 1981, and completed additional coursework at Wheaton College. In 1981, Pastor Bob became the lead pastor at Jubilee Christian Centre, a role he faithfully held for decades, guiding the church through many seasons of change with servant leadership, stability, and grace. Over the years, he also served as a youth minister, evangelist, assistant pastor, missionary, and Bible school founder. More recently, he was appointed Missions Director of South America for the Apostolic World Christian Fellowship, and in the last few years he focused on developing and providing training for ministers and church leaders across the region.

Alongside his ministry, Bob worked full time as a Code Enforcement Officer for the Village of Hanover Park and later the Village of Bartlett. His dedication and integrity in public service were recognized when he was named Code Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2005.

Bob was a loving and adoring husband to Phylis for 55 beautiful years. He was a devoted father to Rob and Brad, known for his warmth, the many stories he loved to tell, and his quirky sense of humor. A pastor at heart, he could also be surprisingly competitive when it came to his boys—especially on the soccer field, where he passionately coached them in their youth and remained a constant, supportive presence as they grew. He welcomed Christy and Rachel with kindness as a caring father-in-law and was a doting, proud grandfather to Mattea and Mikaela. Bob will be remembered for his gentle heart, his stories, his humor, and the love he gave so freely to his family and all who knew him.

Visitation Friday, January 23, 3:00pm - 8:00pm at Countryside Funeral Home and Crematory 950 South Bartlett Road (at Stearns Road) Bartlett. Visitation Saturday, 8:00am until time of service 9:00am at the funeral home. Interment Lakewood Memorial Park. 

For information (630)289-7575.