Erna Hass

Erna Rosine Hass, age 101, of Keats, passed away peacefully on March 22, 2025, at the Salina Presbyterian Manor.

She was born on November 28, 1923, on a farm in rural Riley County, southeast of Keats, the daughter of Friedrich and Caroline (Weidner) Grater. She attended a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from Keats High School. In high school, Erna participated in basketball and worked cleaning homes for families around Keats and caring for their young children. After high school she worked for Russell Stover’s Candy plant in Kansas City, Kansas.

Upon returning to Manhattan, she began work for the Sisters of St Joseph at St. Mary’s Hospital as a laboratory technician for many years. It was at St. Mary’s where Erna met her husband Klaus M. Hass and they were united in marriage on December 1, 1962, at St. Lukes Lutheran Church in Manhattan, Kansas.

Upon the birth of her son, she became a full-time housewife caring for her beloved husband and son. Erna’s faith was important to her, and she was involved in various church activities at St. Lukes Lutheran Church including singing in the church choir for many years. Her other interests included gardening, raising various vegetables, helping care for Klaus’s animals, and watching and listening to K-State basketball games and Kansas City Royals baseball games. For many years prior to her marriage, Erna held season tickets to Kansas State Basketball games. Family was important to Erna, and she enjoyed interacting with her brothers and sisters, following events of her nieces and nephews, and attending annual family reunions including most recently in July of 2024. Erna was a loving person and made numerous friends throughout her life.

Erna was preceded in death by her husband Klaus Hass; her parents Fred and Caroline Grater; three brothers, Ernest Grater and sister-in-law Marjorie Grater, Arnold Grater and sister-in-law Reva Grater and Eldon Grater and sister-in-law Barbara Grater; and two sisters, Helena Staley and brother-in-law William Staley, and Pauline Thomas and brother-in-law William Thomas.

Erna is survived by her son James Hass and wife Dawn of Salina, numerous nieces and nephews, and many dear friends and neighbors from the Keats community.

The family would like to thank the staff at Salina Presbyterian Manor for their devoted and loving care of Erna.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 29, 2025, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church with Rev. Michael Schmidt officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Riley Cemetery. Following the burial will be a luncheon at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.