Esther Karas

Esther N. Karas, 86, of Pembina, ND died Saturday, March 14, 2009, at the Pembina County Memorial Hospital, Cavalier, ND. Funeral services will be held Friday, March 20, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. at the Pembina Lutheran Church, Pembina, ND. Visitation on Thursday, March 19th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the church in Pembina. Burial in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND. Arrangements with Jensen-Askew Funeral Home, Cavalier, ND.
Esther N. Erickson was born June 12, 1922, at Cooperstown, ND to Emanuel and Nina (Severson) Erickson. She grew up in the Cooperstown area. After graduating from Cooperstown High School, she attended Valley City Teachers College. The first school she taught at was also the first rural school in which she attended in the Cooperstown area. She later taught first grade in Oakes and Cooperstown.
On July 23, 1945, she married James G. Karas in Fargo, ND. In 1946, they moved to Pembina. Esther taught kindergarten in Pembina for nine years.
Survivors include her husband, James, children, Steven Karas, Wolfforth, TX and Elizabeth "Beth" Karas, Pembina, sister-in-law, Colleen Erickson, Jamestown, ND, nieces, Diane (William) Weispfenning, Jamestown, Pamela (Curt) Sommer, Fargo, ND, and Carol Ackerman, Renner, SD.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, E. Myron Erickson.
Clergy: Rev. Beth Peterson.
Casket Bearers: Randy Defoe, Henry Hellyer, Curt Sommer, Michael Weispfenning, Ryan Weispfenning, and William Weispfenning.
Music: Rev. Beth Peterson, Soloist and Grace Kain, Organist.