Who Was Haybe?
The beautiful soul known as “Pappy” Haybert Williams, Jr. brought unspeakable joy at his earthly arrival on May 25, 1976, welcomed as the first beloved son of his parents, Haybert Williams, Sr. and Bernell Cosper Williams in Youngstown, Ohio.
Haybe was a ball of energy as a child and played little league football with the Southside Braves. He was a 1994 graduate of East High School, where he played football and sang in show choir and ensemble and was a member of the R&B group Open Minded, performing in and winning local talent shows. After high school, Haybe attended Gateway Community College and National College.
Throughout his life, Pappy was immersed in and developed a love for music, with his earliest performances being those where he sang at various churches with his brother David as Brotha 2 Brotha.
As an adult Haybe's love for football continued, as he was an avid Washington Redskins fan and played in the Northeast Ohio Flag Football League. A kid at heart, Haybe, also known as Pappy by family and close friends from childhood, was a lover of video games such as Madden and NBA2k. Though he never had children of his own, he had a heart for his nephews, and young people with interests in sports and music. He encouraged creative and athletic expression and performance with joy and exuberance. Haybe was employed at Generations Behavioral Health. A kind, loving and gentle spirit, he was loved by many and always looked for the good in others. He was full of life and laughter and enjoyed spending time with friends and family. He rarely met strangers and had the most giving and compassionate heart for others. He was a person who loved the unlovely and never held grudges. Everything he did was selfless and with others in mind. He loved with a free and open heart, without reserve, leaving a legacy of love, laughter and light in his footprints. Simply stated, If you knew him, you loved him, and if he loved you, YOU KNEW REAL LOVE! His absence from this life has left an unfillable void in the hearts of his
family and friends. In response to his unexpected transition, we founded and will forever keep his light and memory alive through “Haybe’s Heart Foundation,” a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization to lavish the love we have for Haybe on the community he called home. For his parting mantra, we quote his verse on a song he recorded with his mother, siblings and nephews:
“Family, the very core of my being, and even if you don’t
see me, believe me, holler if you need me and I’ll be there in a hurry, thick or thin,
right or wrong fam, I’m down fam, don’t worry. Whatever the problem we’ll work
it out, no doubt, whatever the route, even if we scream and shout. Sometimes
families can get confused, we’re all on the different tracks, but we move to the
same groove.”