Katharine Augusta Ellerbrock (nee Zimmermann)
90, passed away peacefully into Jesus' loving arms on Friday, December 27th. Born February 26 th , 1934, in Shasi, Hupeh (currently Hubei) China to Lutheran missionaries Rev. Elmer Christian Zimmermann and Anna Emma Zimmermann (nee Backs). Beloved wife of the late Donald Harry Ellerbrock. Dear mother of Rev. Keith (Dawn) Ellerbrock, Philip (Elizabeth) Ellerbrock, and Ruth (late John) Collins. Dear grandmother of Erin (Philip) Boettge (nee Ellerbrock), Adam (Heather) Ellerbrock, Anna (Nate) Depalm (nee Ellerbrock), John (Kara) Collins, Daniel (Kelly) Ellerbrock, Evan (Bonnie) Collins, and Rachel (Andrew) Otto (nee Collins). Dear great grandmother of Levi, Jude, Rielle and Violet Boettge, Liam, Lucas, and Eden Ellerbrock, and Jubilee and Carmina Collins. Dear sister to the late Elizabeth Lochhaas, Dorothy Wood, and Benjamin Zimmermann.
Katharine spent 8 years in China and survived the Japanese occupation of China during World War 2. Katharine's family were held prisoners by the Japanese until the United States negotiated an exchange of prisoners in 1942. The trip back to America went through Shanghai to a Hong Kong prison camp and then after the exchange the family boarded an Italian and then a Swedish ship on their way back to New York passing the Statue of Liberty. Katharine's later childhood was in Nashville Illinois where her mother's family had significant roots including owning Back's Department Store. Katharine's father was then a professor at Concordia Seminary St. Louis where he established a mission's school. Katharine was a graduate of Lutheran High School in 1952. Katharine married Donald on June 26 th , 1955 and enjoyed a 60-year loving marriage until Don's passing in November 2015. Katharine was a loving mother, an athlete including an accomplished league tennis player, and an avid and skilled painter. She was involved in several churches including Atonement Lutheran in Florissant where her children went to grade school as a teacher's assistant, then Incarnate Word in South Carolina and later at Trinity Lutheran in Bridgeton. She later would get an associate's degree in Mathematics which she used to teach her children math and other subjects. She was very involved in their children's education encouraging them to excel and go on through college. Later Katharine and Don would move to South Carolina where she participated in several art shows winning an award for a painting of her son and daughter- in-law's exiting the church called "Happily Ever After". She was very supportive of her and active with her husband Don at Incarnate Word helping with many projects. After Don's passing, she moved back to St. Charles Missouri where she was a devoted mother and grandmother who spent countless hours and creating many fond memories with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She will be missed by her family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church in Bridgeton, MO.
Visitation: Friday January 10 th , from 9 to 11 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3765 McKelvey Rd, Bridgeton, MO 63044.
Funeral Service: 11 AM (following the visitation) at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3765 McKelvey Rd, Bridgeton, MO 63044 with a brief internment service following at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, MO.

Ortmann Stipanovich Funeral Home osfuneralhomes.com