March 27, 1954-March 4, 2024
Damacino C. “Billy” Villareal passed away early on the morning of March 4, 2024, after a 12-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Billy was born March 27, 1954, in Hawaii, to Gregorio Cleofe Villareal and Rufina Perez Cea. He was the youngest of six children.
Billy had an extensive military career. His first service was during the Vietnam War in 1971-73. After his first service, he went to BYU Hawaii for a year and then served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was called to serve in the Florida, Tallahassee mission. After completing his mission, Billy served another five years in the Army. After completing his military service, Billy attended BYU Hawaii for a year and then transferred to BYU’s main campus where he received a bachelor’s degree in business management in 1989. After graduation, he was hired by Japan Airlines and eventually moved to Redondo Beach, California.
He spent the next few years traveling all over the world. During his time in California, he joined the Volunteer Fire Department, the Citizens Police Patrol, the Civil Air Patrol and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Multiple times he was called to duty when needed. Some of these instances were 911 and Hurricane Katrina. He loved helping people in any way he could. In 2007 Billy retired from Japan Airlines and moved to Cedar City, Utah, where he married Michelle in the St. George Utah Temple. In 2009 they were blessed with a daughter Malia.
Billy loved the art of languages. He was fluent in Japanese, Spanish and Tagalog. For fun he loved playing his guitar, the ukulele and tennis. He also loved spending time with his best friend, Leo. His favorite thing to do was to embroider hats and T-shirts and sell them at large Search and Rescue conventions. He was very proud of his Polynesian heritage and enjoyed sharing that with his daughter. Billy loved to laugh and would often do things just to make people smile.
Billy had a strong testimony of the Savior and served in many capacities in his ward. One of his favorite callings was in the Cedar City Temple. His ward really was a family to him, and many members would give him rides to boxing, take him to lunch or even just take him on a long drive. That was very special to him.
Since his diagnosis with Parkinson’s, he was involved in a boxing group called the Rock Steady Boxing Program. It is a boxing-based Parkinson’s therapy group. That group was his family, and it gave him purpose and drive, even on his hardest days.
Billy is preceded in death by his parents Gregorio and Rufina, his siblings Renato, Reneca and Virgillio.
He is survived by his wife Michelle of 16 years, his siblings Charles and Anthony, his daughters Samantha and Malia, his mother and father-in-law Dennis and LeeAnn Moser, his sister-in-law Emily (Curt) Crofts and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services were held Friday, March 8, in the Equestrian Point Ward Church Building in Cedar City, Utah. A viewing was held at the church prior to the services. Interment was in the Cedar City Cemetery.