Virginia Carol Hass

Virginia Carol Hass 84, of Cumming, Georgia passed away peacefully into the arms of Jesus Sunday, September 7, 2025. She was born May 6, 1941 in Hot Springs, South Dakota and graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1959. She had fond memories of playing clarinet in the marching band. Along with Eva Lou Varick, she kept lifelong friends from her school yearsand later church years (Pat Jones, R.I.P., and Patty Papazian), keeping in touch through letters and social media. She helped organize many class reunions, suggesting a stay at her childhood Victorian home that had become a bed and breakfast in Hot Springs. She had played the clarinet in the high school band and was later blessed to reconnect with her beloved band teacher. He taught her discipline and a love for music.

Virginia moved to California after High School, and secured a job at a fine jewelry store. It was owned by an elderly couple who adored Virginia and treated her like a daughter until they passed away. They had gifted her with beautiful, quality jewelry she wore almost every day of her life, and she loved them for their kindness and care. Around the same time her job began, she met Jerry Johnson (originally from Iowa) who worked for the phone company. Jerry had a tattoo, a motorcycle, and a convertible. He sang bass in the church choir, played the harmonica, and was wickedly funny. A perfect match, they married September 4, 1960. In the mid 60’s following several miscarriages, Virginia finally had a healthy pregnancy. From the back she remained long and thin like a super model, but her profile told a much, much bigger story. Two weeks before her due date she found out she would have twins. Nobody was surprised. She always said her girls were miracle babies. Later, she and Jerry would spare no expense to provide their daughters with piano lessons until they graduated high school.

As a house wife from the 60’s to the 80’s, Virginia kept a neat home with simple decor. However, when Thanksgiving and Christmas came she dressed the dining room table with festive cloths, candles, and fresh cut, homegrown flowers. As she meticulously placed each string of tinsel on the Christmas tree, she was accompanied by the vinyl holiday tunes of Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, and Burl Ives to name a few. At Easter she would dress the girls in dainty pastel dresses and white patent leather shoes to attend the Garden Grove Community Church. She taught the girls early in life about Jesus and how He died for their sins. The loving, warm environment in the Johnson home reflected Jesus’ love.

In the late 70’s, Virginia started a brand new career in real estate and eventually secured her broker’s license. She loved helping people find homes, and her customers loved her. Some of them became permanent friends. As a side business to him, Jerry worked real estate alongside her as they became quite the dynamic duo in the town of La Palma and surrounding areas in California. Their fliers and promotional gifts included a logo that brought to mind a popular bandage brand - “Call Johnson & Johnson first for your real estate aid” and they handed out band aid packages with this logo on the packaging. They loved working together. However, it was not to last as they divorced after a handful of years living in Clayton, California in the Bay area.

Virginia continued in real estate and sold the home of Ronald Hass. He settled in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and sometime after his wife passed, he came calling for Virginia. They married in 1992 and enjoyed the Idaho house situated on a small peninsula of the Spokane River. Later they moved back to Ron’s home state of Indiana, first to Evansville, and finally to Valparaiso. Geographically close to Ron’s family, Virginia loved the Holm family (Steve and Lynn, and their daughters Courtney and Tori)like her own. When Ron passed away early in 2014, Virginia moved to Cumming, Georgia to live with her daughter, Jill and son-in-law, Mike Hackney.

In Cumming, she enjoyed spending time with family. She loved taking pictures of her grown girls with their young boys. She was always kind to her stepson, Steve Johnson, his wife, Cecilia, and children, Jennifer and Christopher of Southern California. She enjoyed family trips to the beach and took one last memorable trip to South Dakota for her final class reunion visitin 2016.

Preceding Virginia in death was her first husband of 34 years, Jerry Johnson, and later her second husband of 22 years, Ron Hass. Virginia is survived by her daughters, Janice Walker and Jill Hackney (Mike) of Cumming, GA; grandsons, Justin Hackney of Cumming, GA, Mikey Hackney (Stephanie) of Canton, GA, David Walker of San Diego, CA, and Frederick Hackney of Atlanta, GA; great grandsons, Declan and Miles Hackney of Canton, GA. She is also survived by her four younger siblings, Donald O’Malley of Colorado, Jack O’Malley (Wanda) of South Dakota, Mary Williams (Jim) of Wyoming, and Patricia Varick (Larry) of Washington, as well as numerous beloved nephews and nieces.

The immediate family of Virginia will hold a private memorial on October 18, 2025. A second memorial will be held for family and friends around the country through zoom TBD in the near future. In lieu of flowers, memorials and condolences may be made at www.ingramfuneralhome.com.

Virginia’s favorite memory verse was Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there among them.”