Lee's Legacy

St. Louis University High School Scholarship

On January 25, 2017, Major Lee Berra, USAF, passed away in a tragic plane accident. Losing Lee was the most difficult thing our family has experienced, but it motivated us to continue his legacy – to help others in our community as much as Lee helped others in his life. The Berra Family Charitable Foundation is a way for our family to make a positive impact in our community while honoring our son, husband, brother, brother-in-law, and uncle.

In his memory, the BFCF funded a fully endowed memorial scholarship, a $300,000 investment, in Lee’s name at his high school, St. Louis University High School. To raise funds, we hosted the 2019 Lee Berra Memorial Golf Tournament at Forest Park Golf Course on May 18, 2019, Armed Forces Day. We raised over $191,000, and our Foundation funded the remainder. The scholarship provides a quality education to a student in financial need every year in perpetuity, enabling each young man to succeed in life, overcoming economic circumstances.

 

Major Lee Berra Creation Station

In September 2022, the Major Lee Berra Creation Station was dedicated at the National Museum of Transportation. Lee Berra grew up less than a mile from the Museum, which he referred to as the “old fashioned train station.” The Museum has the largest collection of transportation vehicles in the world and has more than 190 major exhibits. The BFCF funded the continuation of the MLB Creation Station, a stunning space for young children to interact with various of modes of transportation.

 

Veterans Community Project

Veterans Community Project of St. Louis is in the process of building a village of 50 tiny homes for veterans experiencing homelessness and an Outreach Center to provide walk-in support services to equip veterans with the tools to return to a stable, prosperous, independent life. The St. Louis VCP, which hopes to begin housing veterans in the summer of 2023, is the second VCP in the United States, the first is in Kansas City, MO. Several more communities are being planned across the country. The BFCF funded one home in Lee’s name and another in Lee’s grandfather’s name (a WWII and Korean War veteran) as well as the VCP Pet Center.

 

Major Lee Berra Memorial Highway

Missouri State Representative, Brad Christ, was one of Lee’s SLUH friends and graduated with him in 2002. Representative Christ introduced HB 1395, which was signed by Missouri Governor Parson in July 2023. The bill establishes the Major Lee Berra Memorial Highway on a portion of Interstate 64 from the Interstate 64 ramp to Interstate 270 continuing east to Spoede Road in St. Louis County. The Department of Transportation will erect and maintain signage with the cost to be paid by private donations. Brad and other 2002 SLUH graduates are working with the school to organize a drive that will run through the BFCF to fund the cost of the signage.