Lydia “Pee Wee” Virginia Hybarger

March 27, 1925 - January 13, 2025

Lydia “Pee Wee” Virginia Hybarger, 99, of Kountze, died Monday, January 13, 2025. She was born on March 27, 1925, in Poplarville, Mississippi, to Viola and Edgar Chadwick.

Lydia Virginia “Pee Wee” Hybarger was a woman of many names. She was known as Lydia “Lydee” to her family and “Pee Wee” or Virginia to her friends. Yet, regardless of the name we used, everyone knew her by her feisty character and caring heart.

Pee Wee was born in Poplarville, Mississippi and raised in Slidell, Louisiana. She met and married Lester Hybarger from Beaumont, Texas on February 22, 1943. They settled in Beaumont and she worked for Shelton’s Drive Inn where she acquired her nickname, “Pee Wee.”

In June 1960, Pee Wee and Lester moved from South Park in Beaumont to Kountze where Lester opened a paint and body shop and shortly after built Frostyland for his wife. Pee Wee poured in lots of love and hard work into Frostyland for almost thirty years and produced some food items such as her hamburgers, fish sandwiches, chicken fried steak, homemade chili, onion rings, ice cream, etc. that are still missed today. Frostyland became the local hangout for the town’s school kids, partly because it was next to the school and partly because, for many of them, it became their “first job.”

Pee Wee and Lester sold to Brookshire Brothers in 1989 and they entered retirement. Sadly, Lester passed away a year later and Pee Wee threw herself into helping the community. She was one of the founding members of S.C.A.T. (Senior Citizens All Together) where she and other members cooked a monthly meal for nursing home residents, made jelly, jams and preserves, held bake sales, and garage sales. She was active in S.C.A.T. for almost thirty years. She also became an ombudsman for Kountze Nursing Center doing hair for almost thirty years and, as if that weren’t enough, she also volunteered for Christian Care Center during some of those same years.

Pee Wee was also very involved with her church, First Baptist Church in Kountze. She loved children and babies and volunteered in the church nursery. She loved making food for every event and took her turn making goodies for the church “Café.” Her Sunday School was like family to her and she faithfully prayed for every prayer request that came her way.

There are so many things not said here, but all the love she sowed in the lives of family, friends, and community will be greatly missed by many.

 

Survivors include her niece, Helen Chadwick Williams of Atascocita; nephew, Mark Chadwick and his wife, Michelle, of Kountze; great-nephew, John Paul “B.J.” Chadwick, Jr. of Moss Hill; great-great-nephew, John Paul Chadwick III of Hardin; great-great-niece, Abigail Chadwick; great-great-great-nephew, John Paul Chadwick IV; great-great-great-step niece, Leah Brightwell; and sister-in-law, Patsy Ann Chadwick of Atascocita.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Viola and Edgar Chadwick; husband, Lester Hybarger; sister, Audria Harmon; brother, Edward Chadwick; and nephew, John Paul Chadwick, Sr.

A gathering of Mrs. Hybarger’s family and friends will be 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 16, 2025, at Broussard’s, 530 West Monroe Street, Kountze. Her funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 17, 2025, at First Baptist Church of Kountze, 100 West Monroe Street, Kountze, with her interment to follow at Old Hardin Cemetery, Kountze.

 

 

Video

Gathering of Family and Friends

Broussard’s Mortuary Kountze
  • 530, West Monroe Street, Kountze, Texas, 77625,
  • January 16, 2025
  • 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Funeral Service

First Baptist Church-Kountze
  • 100, West Monroe Street, Kountze, Texas, 77625,
  • January 17, 2025
  • 10:00 am

Interment

Old Hardin Cemetery
  • Old Cemetery Road, Texas, 77625,
  • January 17, 2025

Comments (8)

    Carrie Rashall says:

    Such a wonderful lady, we ate Friday shrimp basket at Frostyland for years in the 80s. Broke our hearts when they sold out
    Prayers to her family and may she Rest In Peace with her beloved husband

    Gary Wilkerson says:

    Pee Wee is a lady who will always be in my memories. She was so kind and thoughtful when I was a teenager in Kountze. Later, at High School reunions, she would attend and always remember my name…as well as so many of us who frequented Frostyland. She was blessed to live such a long and full life as a role model for so many. RIP. Love and prayers to her family.

    Susan Clay Cole says:

    Couldn’t count the hamburgers we all ate at Frostyland….such an important place in our teen years…..PeeWee never forgot anyone and always asked about all the Clay kids whenever I ran into her……..she’s certainly earned her rest….sending love and prayers…..

    Kim Knight says:

    While Michael served as pastor of First Baptist, Kountze, for several years, we both fell in love with Pee Wee. She was full of the joy of the Lord, and cared for more people that can be counted. Truly, she has been a tremendous blessing in so many lives through the years. It was fun to work with her curling and combing out hair at the nursing home for several years, and studying the Bible together in Sunday School. Pee Wee was one of our most faithful members. She never seemed to tire of doing good works! We were so sad to hear of her passing, but know that she is celebrating being in the presence of her Lord and Savior! Someday, we will see you again!

    Carolyn Cowger says:

    Peewee I will miss seeing your beautiful face. Rest in peace fly high with the angels. I Love you baby girl.

    Cheryl Bean says:

    I have known her for many years. She was also active with the Business and Professional Women’s club. She was one of the main workers during the Miss Kountze pageant. Always willing to arrive early and leave late.
    It goes without saying she will be missed. Prayers for her friends and family.

    Kelly Williams says:

    I will miss watching you sing “I’ll Fly Away” and “How Great Thou Art” at the nursing home Ms. Peewee. Rest with the angels now.

    Love,
    Kelly Williams

    Mary Swearingen says:

    Not a whole lot else needs to be said..What a great Lady. MY heart is so heavy right now as she still called me “one of her girls” as like so many Kountze kids I had the opportunity to start working for her back in 1962 at frostyland.
    She will be sorely missed..Thoughts and prayers for the family and so many Friends.. Go rest high on that Mountain PeeWee.
    RIP

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *