Sheryl L. Villa's Obituary
Sheryl L. Villa, 76, of Clinton, passed away, Saturday, April 11, 2026 at MercyOne – Clinton.
Funeral Services will be 1:30pm, Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes & Crematory. Visitation will be from 10:00am to the service time Tuesday. Following the services there will be a private family burial at Clinton Lawn Cemetery.
Sheryl Lynn Enwright was born on January 6, 1950 in Clinton, the daughter of the late LD and Marian (Niebuhr) Enwright. She was a graduate of Camanche High School and Our Lady of Angels. She married Rodney Swanson on August 31,1973; he was tragically killed in an accident on December 8,1981; she later married Larry Villa on April 26, 1986 at St John's Lutheran Church in Clinton. Later in life she joined the Catholic Church with her husband.
Sheryl was the owner/director of Sheryl’s Dance Academy of Clinton, Iowa and had an enviable reputation in the Dance Industry. She was the recipient of numerous national awards recognizing her as an outstanding Dance Educator. She had held positions as Master Teacher, Producer, Director, Choreographer, Judge and Principal Dancer.
Spanning 45 years she toured professionally with Hoctor’s Dance Caravan of Waldwick, New Jersey. Following her reign as Miss Clinton County 1971 she continued her affiliation as Producer/Director/Choreographer with Miss Iowa and Miss Clinton County pageants for 15 years. She had provided her expertise in Dance and Theatre productions at Camanche H.S., Clinton H.S., Northeast Community H.S., Prince of Peace, including Clinton Community Theatre and Clinton Showboat Theatre.
Her award winning dance groups and soloists have competed throughout Iowa including Champion status at the Iowa State Fair, Bill Riley Talent Competition. In 2000’ her Dance Troupe was showcased at Disney World, Orlando, receiving kudos from Disney Production Staff and hundreds of Disney patrons. Her established performance group, Sheryl’s Showstoppers, has an award winning history competing at Tremaine, Hoctor’s Stars of Tomorrow, Showbiz, Applause and Star Systems.
Some of her students have graduated from High School as Scholarship recipients to study at Artistic High Schools, major Colleges and Universities; Oklahoma City University, University of Iowa, Western Michigan University, Western Illinois University, Interlochen Arts Academy, North Carolina School of the Arts, and the Juillliard School of New York City, N.Y.
Sheryl is survived by her husband: Larry of Clinton; and her sons: Ryan Swanson of Clinton, and Zach Villa of Los Angeles, California; and her brother: Kevin Enwright and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her first husband, she was preceded in death by her brother: Mark; and niece Mollie.
In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Samaritan's Purse or Easter Seals.
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