Josue Leija Cabrera of College Station, Texas was welcomed into his heavenly father’s arms on February 23, 2026. He was 92 years of age. Josue was born in rural Hays County, Texas to immigrant sharecroppers, Antonio and Natalia Leija Cabrera. At the age of 20 he enlisted into our country’s military. He was stationed in Seventh Army in Germany in 1953 through 1954, patrolling the Germany – Czechoslovakia border. While there, Josue had a spiritual awakening following a near death experience. After returning to Texas, he completed his high school education. With the assistance of the Baptist home mission board, he then became a minister in the Baptist Church. For the next decade he served in small Spanish speaking congregations in Texas. In 1970 he married Maria Villar. He enjoyed a loving marriage and stayed loyal to Maria and to his vows for the 52-year span of their union. Josue worked as an HVAC mechanic at Scott & White hospital in Temple, Texas. He was known as a hardworking and dependable man. He brought joy to his coworkers and hospital staff through encouragement and kindness. Josue had a love and a gift for music. He shared his gift through songs, often sung in church. Josue walked humbly with God and sought guidance from reading the Bible daily. He was always willing to meet and pray with anybody who was suffering or in pain, offering them the counsel of scripture over his own. Josue regarded all of life as a learning process, including learning how to live gracefully with Parkinson’s and how to approach dying. He is survived by his son Joshua Villar Cabrera and daughter-in-law Kimiye Ruth Fisher Cabrera of College Station, his grandchildren, Iris Cabrera and Kaiji Cabrera, and his sisters Gloria Alvarado, Martha Trevino, Neomi Trevino, and Ruth Tamez. He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Mary Villar Cabrera; and his siblings Leobardo Cabrera, Atanasio Cabrera, Sara Cabrera Alvarado, Bentura Tobias, Juaquina Vasquez, Juan Cabrera, Carmen Lara and Rachel Estrella.
His funeral service will be at 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 7 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home, 3110 Airport Rd. Temple, TX 76504 with Dr. Ron Milne officiating. Burial will follow at Bellwood Memorial Park in Temple.
