Rebekah Elaine Massmann

After a valiant fight with cancer, our Rebekah—friend, sister, daughter, cousin, fierce advocate, mouthpiece for God’s heart of justice, caring and sensitive soul—left this life and entered the next in the early moments of January 26, 2026, enveloped in warmth and love and met by the comforting arms of Jesus.

Rebekah Elaine Hardwick was born March 8, 1984 in Little Rock, Arkansas, the firstborn to Elaine Vickers Hardwick of Batesville, Arkansas and Alan Keith Hardwick of Little Rock. The oldest of six, Rebekah filled the role of eldest sister in every way—ever hardworking, responsible, determined, achieving, but also loving, tender, and a role model and friend to her five younger siblings.

Rebekah’s family was part of a tightly knit church community in Little Rock, with music central to their lives as both of her parents served in the church’s music ministries in various capacities. The Hardwick home was full of energy and warmth, music spilling from room to room, dance parties, and Rebekah’s impromptu performances with friends.

It was in these precious childhood homes that Rebekah began to understand the lifelong process of sanctification, making an early decision on Easter Sunday when she was 12 years old to follow Jesus. She grew into adulthood with an understanding of salvation as relational and continual, learning what it means to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12) by being the hands and feet of Christ, sacrificially and lovingly participating in God’s work of restoration, “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

The Hardwicks called Little Rock home until Rebekah’s dad’s job moved the family to St. Louis in the summer of 2000, right before her junior year of high school. It was a decision that, while at the time, was devastating (famously, “this is the worst day of my life”), ended up being life-changing in more ways than one—on her first day of school at Parkway South, she met Benjamin Massmann, her future husband and love of her life.

Rebekah immediately found her niche and an amazing friend group at Parkway South, unsurprisingly excelling in school and graduating with honors before leaving the nest to attend Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State) in Springfield, Missouri. She and Ben maintained a long-distance relationship throughout undergraduate studies, eventually getting engaged their junior year of college. After Rebekah’s early graduation in December of 2005, Rebekah and Ben were married on December 30 to begin their life adventure together as Ben finished up his programs in Rolla.

Rebekah and Ben had many adventures together, ski trips, hiking national parks, cruises, and above all, Rebekah’s happy place—the beach. It was likely her love of the beach that led them to southern California, where Rebekah began her Master’s program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at California State University, San Bernardino. It was while they were living in SoCal that their firstborn, Joshua James Alan, joined them in October of 2012. The family moved from Corona, California to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2013 to be closer to Rebekah’s Mamaw Vickers and care for her in the final years of her life. In October of 2015 their family was completed with the birth of Elena Mae Ruth.

With their family growing, Rebekah and Ben decided to move back closer to home, settling in St. Charles, Missouri in a neighborhood they loved enough to build their dream home together in a family compound-style cul-de-sac, with Rebekah’s parents building a house on one side, and Ben’s brother building a house on the other. Rebekah so loved having her home as the central hub, ever the consummate host. Between holidays, birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, and more, there was no end to Rebekah’s hospitality and generosity, and absolute love of “a theme.”

A woman of deep faith, Rebekah took to heart the message of Micah 6:8, to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. Even while in the thick of treatment, Rebekah continued to advocate for the rights, safety, and thriving of “the least of these,” understanding justice as relational, an active and sacrificial caring that brings about equity. In her absence, we raise our voices on her behalf, living out a radical love and hospitality by continuing her advocacy work.

While we celebrate knowing Rebekah is out of pain, healed, and sitting in the presence of Jesus, her loss leaves an enormous gaping hole in all of our hearts. In so many ways, Rebekah was the heart and soul of her family—her family of origin, her family through marriage, her family she and Ben created, and those who were blessed to be her family of choice. We will always make sure her children know exactly who she was—caring, nurturing, protective, soft, and incredibly strong.

Rebekah is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Ruth Elaine Petway Vickers and George Thomas Vickers, and paternal grandfather Fred Henry Hardwick. She is survived by her husband, Ben; children, Joshua and Elena; parents, Alan and Elaine; paternal grandmother Kay Frances Haynes Hardwick of Little Rock, Arkansas; sisters Sarah and Leah of St. Charles, Missouri; sister Stephanie (Tyler Thompson) of Cabot, Arkansas; brothers Matthew (Meghan) of St. Louis, Missouri and Christopher (Courtney) of Florissant, Missouri; soul sister Denise Peñacerrada (Vince Kruse); father-in-law James (Norma) Massmann of Ballwin, Missouri; mother-in-law Denise (Rodger) Mansfield of St. Charles, Missouri; brothers-in-law Christopher (Heather) Massmann of St. Charles, Missouri and Nicholas (Stephanie) Massmann of Ankeny, Iowa; five nieces and five nephews; and scores of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 5, at Baue Cave Springs Funeral Home (3950 West Clay Street, St. Charles, Missouri). Public visitation from 4:00–8:00 p.m. Toward the end of the evening, those gathered will be invited to share favorite memories of Rebekah.

Funeral services will be held at on Saturday, February 7, at Fellowship of Wildwood (17770 Mueller Road, Glencoe, Missouri), beginning at 3:00 p.m., with a visitation from 2:00–3:00 p.m. A reception will follow the service.

Per Rebekah’s request, please do not wear black or grey—bright colors (however, no Hawaiian shirts) preferred.

Those wishing to honor Rebekah’s memory may consider making a donation to an organization that reflects her values and the causes she loved.

• Oasis Food Pantry

• The Micah Project

• Action St. Louis

• Cactus Cancer Society