Megan Massie (middle) on June 14 became the first recipient of the Capt. Eleanor LeBeau Cooke Memorial Scholarship. She is pictured with the parents of LeBeau Cooke, David and Victoria LeBeau (left) and her family, parents Steve and Kasey Massie, brothers Jack, 11, and Nathan, 8, and her sister, Marianne, 6. Megan Massie will be a freshman at Althoff Catholic High School this fall (David Wilhelm photo).
Until recently, the LeBeau and Massie families were not acquainted. They could not have imagined the bonds that will forever link them.
Megan Massie, 14, of O’Fallon, on June 14 was named the first recipient of the Capt. Eleanor “Ellie” LeBeau Cooke Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship provides two years of half-off tuition at Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville, where Massie will begin her freshman year in August.
It was founded by LeBeau Cooke’s widower, Chase Cooke. Ellie LeBeau Cooke was one of three U.S. Marines who died last Aug. 27 in the Northern Territory, Australia, during a training exercise while aboard an MV-22B Osprey. The 2012 Althoff graduate was 29.
Massie, who attended St. Clare Catholic School, earned the scholarship by writing an essay about what success looks like and what it takes to break through “glass ceilings.”
Massie, in part, wrote: “Success means that you are happy with where you are and who you are. I want to be successful, and at the same time break through glass ceilings. To me, breaking through glass ceilings means to express yourself and break through expectations. I want my glass-shattering and success to go hand in hand. …
“The glass is your safe place; you will always be just OK here. You can easily live your life in the glass, average and acceptable. But how will you live knowing that there was so much opportunity in the world and you didn’t see it because you didn’t try your hardest? Breaking through your glass means unlocking your full potential. How would you break through your glass? You need to push your limits, get out of your comfort zone and exceed your own expectations. The only way to break through glass ceilings is to push yourself to (be) your best and even further.”
Massie did not know the name of the scholarship and was not aware of LeBeau Cooke’s story when she replied to the essay prompt. But her words resonated with LeBeau Cooke’s parents, David and Victoria LeBeau.
“That’s exactly who Ellie was,” Victoria said.
Massie earned the scholarship over a dozen other girls. Her essay, which was read by the LeBeaus and some of their seven remaining children, grabbed everyone’s attention.
“Hers was the one that stood out,” Victoria LeBeau said. “It was very good. It was her faith. What she wrote struck a chord.”
Massie, the daughter of Steve and Kasey Massie, learned in early May that she had earned the scholarship, although it wasn’t presented to her until June 14 at Althoff.
During that time, she learned about Ellie LeBeau Cooke’s story and how her life ended on a heroic note. Massie firmly clutched the scholarship plaque and fought back tears when she discussed the honor. It meant even more to her since her family, like the LeBeaus, also is military.
“When I received the award, I looked at the name and my mom found a website with (Ellie’s) story on it.” Massie said as tears welled in her eyes. “After that point, we knew who she was and what happened.
“I had no idea I would win it. I was very proud of how I wrote that essay. Then after learning her story, I was really happy to be the one to receive it. With all the connections, I knew I was meant to carry on her legacy.”
For the Massie family, the scholarship had special significance, far beyond the financial benefits of Megan continuing her Catholic education at Althoff.
Steve Massie is a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force and is stationed at Scott Air Force Base for the second time, following a three-year assignment in Yokota, Japan. He is a 2004 graduate of the Air Force Academy.
Kasey Massie, meanwhile, graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2006 and can relate to the LeBeau’s profound loss of their daughter.
Kasey’s best friend at the Air Force Academy, Roslyn “Roz” Schulte, was traveling in a convoy when she was killed in action by an improvised explosive device (IED)in 2009 in Afghanistan.
“It’s a different perspective as a mom than it was with Roz,” Kasey Massie said. “Roz was my friend. I didn’t have kids. Going through the military life, losing friends, but also as a mom now, I can’t imagine going through that process as a mother — and just wanting to be there. The point is to remember and to know and to honor that person.”
Schulte, a native of St. Louis, was 25 when she died. She is interred in Affton and the Massies regularly take time to remember her.
“I always go visit her and, (per) Air Force tradition, toast her,” Kasey Massie said. “Every Memorial Day, we toast Roz. Then, upon learning about Ellie and the scholarship and everything, this year we went and visited Ellie’s grave. We went as a family.”
LeBeau Cooke is buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in west Belleville, not far from Althoff.
Learning that the Massie family had visited Ellie’s grave touched the LeBeaus.
“It means everything,” Victoria LeBeau said. “They did not have to do that. They did it because that’s just who they are. This family is exactly what Ellie was. I know this scholarship went to the right person. It was by the grace of God that (Megan) got that scholarship.”
Megan Massie also is a star soccer player who could make contributions at the varsity level next spring. She hopes to play forward for the Crusaders, who won the Class 1A state championship a few weeks ago.
Althoff’s coach, and principal, is Jonathan “Skip” Birdsong, who was at Althoff on June 14 when the LeBeaus and Massies met for the first time.
“Just watching the interaction and hearing them talk to each other, what an honor to be in the room,” Birdsong said. “We’re pleased, from a human perspective, about both sides of this. You don’t get to see interactions like that very often.
“Things like this don’t happen by accident. The Holy Spirit was at work to bring these families together. I’m going to guess that Megan will serve as a healing reminder to the LeBeau family. Ellie will likely motivate Megan. She seems to be mature beyond her years. Ellie will be a constant reminder to Megan of how to live her life. She’ll always be on her mind.”
David LeBeau, who flew helicopters for the U.S. Navy from 1982-93, said meeting the Massies was an overwhelming experience, and he lauded Megan as the ideal person to represent Ellie through the scholarship.
“It’s such a painful thing to lose her, but we’ve had so many good things come out of it,” he said. “To me, she’s still alive. She’s active in the world. To meet other people because of this, it keeps her out in front of us,
“Megan absolutely is the perfect person for this. The way it came about was so poetic. Our families are on the same path. Eleanor would certainly be honored that Megan was the one that was picked. Eleanor lived a life of service. I feel like Megan understands that.”
Steve Massie witnessed Ellie’s funeral procession, which began at the Cathedral of St. Peter, passed Althoff and ended at Mount Carmel.
“Every military member on Scott Air Force Base was out there saluting her as the procession went by, just like we would for any fallen service member,” Steve Massie said. “Then as we learned the story and learned more about (Ellie), there were so many connections. I look at it from two angles, not only as a parent, but also from previous roles I’ve had. Ellie could have been one of my troops, somebody I could have flown with.
“This becomes so much more when you know the story behind it. It’s a powerful and chilling moment.”
The Massies have three other children besides Megan: sons Jack, 11, and Nathan, 8, and daughter Marianne, 6.
Megan can’t wait for school to begin. She already knows Althoff will occupy a special place in her heart.
“Always being able to have a Catholic school available has been amazing,” Megan said. “When we were here before, we all went to St. Clare and the preschool that was connected to it. Since I was able to come back and have the same friends, three years later, after being in Japan, was amazing. Going to a Catholic high school means I get to go to Mass every week and I have a family that has the same kind of values I have.”
They also were the values Ellie shared.
“For us to be able to honor Ellie … to be able to carry her legacy forward, is so significant for us,” Kasey Massey said.
