On June 18, 1949, the Saginaw News announced the winners of that year’s Saginaw High School scholarships. One of the recipients was Joan Heiderer who, the paper reported, “wishes to become a teacher of English and speech.” Her activities as a student in high school included being named a member of the Plorad Society, Saginaw High School’s honorary society for drama and literature.
Joan Heiderer used her Saginaw High School Alumni Scholarship at the University of Michigan. After graduating from the University of Michigan, she returned to Saginaw. Her positions included teaching, performing in television commercials on Channel 5 and leading a series of theater classes for children at Pit and Balcony Playhouse.
After her 1955 marriage to John Bintz, she focused on her family and the business she developed with her husband. A 1980 Saginaw News article reported: “Life for the 48-year-old Mrs. Bintz has been a combination of homemaking, child raising and almost total dedication to the family business.” However, she also found time to be active in the community, this included serving as a member of the Historical Society of Saginaw County Board for several years
The Castle Museum has an exhibit about Bintz Restaurant, and we've share a couple of Joan's recipes.