David Michael Villyard, known as Mike to his friends, was born in St. Paul’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas, on February 26, 1941. His father was a plumber who sang in a barbershop quartet, and his mother taught music and art in the Dallas public schools.  Mike loved classical music, especially opera, his entire life.  He sang in the Dallas Civic Opera chorus for over a decade, where he met and married a fellow singer, Patricia (known as Pat), in 1963.  While performing with the Dallas Opera, Pat and Mike shared the stage with luminaries including Maria Callas under directors including Franco Zeffirelli and Milos Forman.  They had two children, Katherine and Cynthia, whom they started taking to choir practice at the age of six weeks.

Mike studied Psychology at the University of North Texas, where he and his friend Scott “the Rip!” Ripley used to paint “BOPGA” on theatrical flats to promote their imaginary organization, the Boy Opera Producer’s Guild of America. On a tour of UNT in the 1990s, Mike was delighted to find flats still inscribed with the BOPGA logo.

He worked for the Army, Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) for over 33 years, serving here in the States and in Europe—mostly Texas and Germany.  He and Pat separated in 1980 and divorced, and he married a German woman, Ingred, in 1982.  Mike and Ingred were together until his death in 2013.

Mike retired to San Antonio in 1998. He was a member of the Alamo Chapter of the AAFES Retired Employees Association (AREA). He became active in his community and served on many City boards and commissions. He was a member of the Joint City/County Bond Oversight Commission and he was on the City’s Board of Adjustment. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the San Antonio Mobility Coalition.  He also raised money for the University of North Texas and Republican politicians.

He was involved in his community serving as the President of the Board of Directors of his neighborhood, Stone Oak Communities of Mutual Amenities Homeowners’ Association, and on the Board of Directors of the Stone Oak Property Owners’ Association; he served as President and Immediate Past President of the District 9 Neighborhood Alliance; was on the Board of Directors, San Antonio Neighbors Together; and Texas Neighborhoods Together. He sat on the District 9 Bond Advisory Committee in 2003 and the San Antonio Streets & Sidewalks Bond Committees in 2007 and 2012. He was involved in the planning and development of the City’s Stone Oak Park and in the establishment of the Friends of Stone Oak Park organization. He was a long time member of the San Antonio Symphony’s Master Singers and taught Opera Appreciation at his local Senior Center.

He passed away in San Antonio on February 8, 2013, following four years of ill health, although he felt well enough on January 27 to give his daughter Cynthia a singing lesson in the I.C.U.   He is survived by his wife, Ingred, his brother, Mitch, his daughters Katherine and Cynthia, and his granddaughters Izzi and Maya.