Michael Villegas

Obituary- Michael Villegas

Michael Villegas was called home to be with his heavenly father on February 20, 2019. He fought a long, hard and very courageous battle for well over a decade against Cancer.

Michael was a very handsome and charismatic man who loved life and adored his son Ryan. He was born in Los Angeles, California on September 9, 1952, and attended school both in Van Horn, TX and in Los Angeles, CA, where he graduated from Franklin High School in 1971. He furthered his education at California State University where he majored in Finance and Law. He also studied at the Institute of Banking. Michael was a Banker, employed by United California Bank. He remained in the banking industry while pursuing his Martial Arts passion. He was a 9th Degree Black Belt (Grand Master) in Taekwondo and opened his own studio in Palm Springs in the late 1970s. Michael was also a professional dancer and model. He was quite the trailblazer in the modeling industry at a time when there were not that many male models to speak of. He traveled the country putting on fashion shows and teaching dance to many celebrity clients through his company, Chic Productions. He naturally gravitated into the entertainment industry after that where he ran multiple nightclubs in Texas. Michael was also an excellent cook. In his later years, he moved into the restaurant industry where he became a restaurant owner with an award-winning salsa that he was in the process of taking to market before he got ill. Michael was an entertainer, a comedian and an avid storyteller who loved the color Pink before it was acceptable for men to ever wear it. Always a true ladies man, who called all his favorite girls “honey bunny”, he remained so to the end when he would make the ladies in his treatment center laugh and feel special.

Michael was big into meditation which stemmed from his martial arts training and believed he could heal himself through mind over matter and for many, many years, he did just that, much to the shock of his doctors. In the end, he generously donated his body to Science.

Michael was preceded in death by his mother Miquela (Mickey) Sanchez Villegas. David Villegas, Michael’s younger brother also went to be with the Lord on March 25, 2019. Michael is survived by one son Ryan Christopher Villegas of Phoenix, AZ.

Other survivors include four brothers, five sisters, and two half-siblings. The surviving family includes brother, Andy Villegas and his wife Cathy of Killeen Tx., sister Norma Jean Villegas of Huntington Beach, Ca. Mario Villegas of Las Vegas NV, sister Diana Navarette and her husband Rene of Van Horn, TX, sister Debbie Velasquez and her husband Tony of San Antonio, TX, brother Daniel Villegas of Las Vegas, NV, brother Edward Villegas and his wife Pat of Covina, Ca. sister, Ida Burnett and her husband Brad of Weatherford, TX, sister Meg Blair and her husband Troy of Springtown, TX and two half-siblings, brother Orlando Villegas of Las Vegas, NV, and sister Yvonne Vasquez and her husband Ben, of Houston, TX. He is also survived by his father, Andres Villegas, and stepmother Lydia, of Las Vegas NV and various aunts and uncles.

Memorial services will be on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Van Horn, Texas located at 206 W. 4th St. Graveside services will follow immediately at Van Horn Cemetery.

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