Suzanne Hintz

Suzanne (Sue) Hintz, Minot, formerly of Northbrook, IL, died on December 21, 2024 in a Garrison, ND care facility. She dedicated her life to tending to people and the world around her, teaching children to read, taking care of the earth, and treating others with kindness. She taught thousands of children and was a wise colleague, trusted friend, and respected mentor to hundreds more during her career in education. She was equally comfortable on a classroom rug or a garden plot with children as she was around a table with adults. Her steady presence, careful listening, and mind for details made her a valuable member of curriculum groups, search committees, contract negotiation teams, and boards of directors.
Sue was born on August 10, 1941 in Ft. Wayne, IN to Wayne and Betty (Rison) Bender. To attend Concordia Teachers College, she moved to the Chicago area. In 1963 she graduated and married Ken Hintz; together they taught in Lutheran Schools during the 1960s. Their two children, Kathy and Tim, were born when they lived in Wilmette, IL, and the family moved to Northbrook, IL in 1972. Sue ran a home day care center for seven years in the 1970s, learning American Sign Language in order to take care of children with hearing loss. She earned her master's degree in education at National College and taught first grade at South School in Glencoe, IL from 1981 to 2008. Sue loved everything about being a teacher, and her plant-filled classrooms featured poetry and stories every day. She was also "the fish lady" who took care of all of the aquariums in the classrooms at South. She shared the joy of sowing and reaping when she taught summer programs at the Chicago Botanic Garden. For 45 years she was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Northbrook, where she taught Sunday School, served on countless committees, and sang in the choir. Sue read avidly, walked nightly with her friends, and gardened extensively, spending many happy hours tending the vegetable and flower beds in her home. She served on the board of the New Trier Credit Union. After her husband's death in 1993 she became a facilitator for the Loving Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) program of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Over the years, she opened her home to many people when they needed a place to live– notably Andrew DiNanno and the late Jonathan Struck–providing them with the love and stability that were deeply ingrained in her. Sue developed Alzheimer's and moved from Northbrook to Minot, ND in 2017 to be closer to her daughter. In her care facilities she remained the kind, curious and friendly person that she always had been up until her death.
Sue is survived by her children Kathy Hintz (Dan Ringrose) of Minot, ND, and Tim Hintz (Susan Rosser) of Brookline, MA, and also brother David (Linda) Bender of Indianapolis, IN, and sister-in-law Jo Anne (Jim) Larson of Prineville, OR. She adored her grandchildren, Alex, Celia, Jamie, Colin, and Charlotte, as well as nieces Kristin, Katie, and Anne, and nephew Matt.
A celebration of her life will take place at Grace Lutheran Church in Northbrook on Saturday, January 11th, 2025 at 11:00 AM. Memorial gifts can be made to the Chicago Botanic Garden, Grace Lutheran Church (Northbrook), or any organization that supports children or stewardship of the natural world.