Johann Ellerbrake, Long-Time CHHSM Supporter and Healthcare Advocate, Dies at 91

CHHSM is grieved to announce that friend, supporter, and advocate Johann Lee Ellerbrake (née Havenner) has died at age 91. Ellerbrake died of natural causes May 19, 2026.

Johann was born to Wilson Elsworth and Madeline Esther (née Nash) Havenner on November 18, 1934, in Washington, D.C., where she grew up with five siblings. She attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, from 1952 to 1955, then graduated in 1957 from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis with a B.S. degree in physical therapy. She later returned to school, further pursuing her lifelong passion for healthcare, and graduated in 1983 with a M.B.A. degree in health from Webster University in Webster Groves, Mo.

While at Washington University, she led programs and groups at Unleashing Potential’s Caroline Mission in St. Louis, where she discovered her call to a vocation of healthcare. At the Mission, she met then-seminary student Richard P. Ellerbrake. On June 9, 1957, they married, then shared nearly 69 years of a beautiful marriage built on a foundation of family, social justice, political action, and shared devotion to their community.

She touched countless lives, first at Caroline Mission and then at Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Miss., where she was involved in youth ministry and early childhood education; then as a traveling physical therapist; and later as the director of the Mamie O. Stookey School in Belleville, Ill., which provided a caring, inclusive educational experience and interdisciplinary therapies for young children with special needs and their families. She retired as the executive director of the Ranken Jordan Extended Pediatric Care Facility (now Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital) in Maryland Heights, Mo., where she championed innovative and compassionate transitional care for children with complex medical needs.

Her fierce advocacy for social justice, community equity, and early childhood development extended to numerous leadership roles across the St. Louis Metro East and within the wider United Church of Christ (UCC), locally and nationally, especially the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries. Johann proudly served on the board of directors of Uni-Pres Kindercottage in East St. Louis, helping to nurture and empower young learners. She was also a foundational voice and longtime champion for the United Congregations of Metro-East (UCM), working alongside faith leaders to drive systemic transformation across Southwestern Illinois. Additionally, she dedicated her time to the board of directors of Hoyleton Youth & Family Services in Fairview Heights, Ill., and to the UCC’s Illinois South Conference.

“We are saddened to learn of the death of Johann Ellerbrake,” said Jamar Doyle, president and CEO of CHHSM. “Through her selfless work and the many generous ways she and Dick have given to CHHSM and its member agencies over the years, Johann always ‘walked the talk.’ We are grateful for her long friendship, support, and advocacy.”

In recognition of her exceptional professional legacy and humanitarian impact on pediatric healthcare and community welfare, Johann was honored with the prestigious St. Louis Women of Achievement Award in 1989.

While always a fearless world traveler, an avid birdwatcher, a flower gardener, and a lover of puzzles and games, Johann’s greatest joy remained her family. She is survived by her devoted husband of 68 years, Richard P. Ellerbrake of Lebanon; her two beloved children, Stephen (Kelly) and Christopher, both of Lebanon; four grandchildren, Trevor (Teri) of Lebanon, Morgan of Belleville, Jake of Chicago, and Reid of Chicago; and two great-grandchildren, Draven and Weston of Lebanon. She also leaves behind a large, loving extended family of cousins, nieces, and nephews; the Bell family; her cherished “Farm Family”; and a wide circle of close friends and loved ones.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilson and Madeline Havenner; all five of her siblings, Rosemary, Esther, Elizabeth, Carolyn, and Wilson (Sonny); her son David, who passed away in 1981; and her daughter Laura, who passed away in infancy in 1967.

In keeping with her lifetime of medical service and selflessness, Johann generously donated her body as an anatomical gift to the St. Louis University School of Medicine.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in Johann’s honor to The David P. Ellerbrake Memorial Scholarship via the Saint Louis University Giving Portal or by mail to St. Louis University School of Medicine, 1402 S. Grand, St. Louis, MO, 63104, or to a charity of your choice.