Our History

The formation of a Junior Service League in Saginaw was the result of desire on the part of young women in the community to give of their time, energy and financial support to those less fortunate than themselves. Many of them were already contributing to the various charities of the city and taking an active part in the conduct of these; but the need of an organization which would direct this volunteer service and further promote it, was quite apparent.

On the nineteenth of January, 1929, the first meeting of the organization of such a League was called by the first Mrs. Rust MacPherson, permission having been received from the Association of the Junior Leagues of America. The ten charter members were: Mrs. Clarence Toshach (Charlotte Hasset), Mrs. Don Hanaford (Lois Rodman), Mrs. Walter Hill (Edith Symons), Mrs. Perce Pearce (June Swan), Mrs. James Spence (Anne Robertson), Mrs. Harry Jones (Harriet Carlisle), Mrs. Elmer L. Cornwell (Janet Morley), Mrs. Harry Burrows (Ann Powell), Miss Mary Louise Garey, and Mrs. MacPherson (Helen Bennett). At a later meeting on the ninth of February, two other members were included, Mrs. Gladys Bolton (Gladys Huss), and Mrs. Hugo Braun (Jean Craig Smith). These twelve, constituting the entire membership of the League at the time, voted to elect themselves a Board of Directors for the organization and adopted the bylaws upon the Constitution of the Association of the Junior Leagues of America.

In the very first month of organization, we benefited greatly by the guidance given to us by the President of the Grand Rapids Junior League. Her interest and advice made us all the more firmly determined that our Junior Service League should become truly instrumental in the advancement of civic welfare in our community. In recruiting, manpower toward the end of the first year numbered sixty-five. Shortly afterward, the name of the Junior League was changed to the Service Club to avoid confusion with authorized Junior Leagues.

As our activities in the community expanded, we endeavored to conform even more closely to the standards set by the Association of Junior Leagues of America. In this connection we were greatly aided by a visit from the Association Field Secretary. Shortly following her visit, two members of the Grand Rapids League came to Saginaw to gather information on our organization, which they reported to the AJLA. That we successfully met their requirements is evidenced by the fact that on February 14, 1934, the Service Club of Saginaw became the Junior League of Saginaw, a member of the Association of Junior Leagues of America.

…Milestones we have had, and may many more be ours in the future. The prestige of the Saginaw Junior League and its record of intelligent community service is ours to maintain and cherish. We are stewards of a splendid heritage. Let us preserve and enhance it.

Our Past Presidents: 

Mrs. Hugo E. Braun 1929-30

Mrs. Don Hanaford 1930-32

Mrs. Waldo G. Harbert 1932-34

Mrs. John W. Symons 1934-36

Mrs. Harry N. Burrows 1936-38

Mrs. James A. Spence 1938-39

Mrs. William John Orr 1939-40

Mrs. Peter Oppermann 1940-42

Mrs. Harry E. Miles 1942-44

Mrs. Frank J. Busch 1944-46

Ms. Sally Martin   1946-48

Mrs. William R. Morgan 1948-50

Mrs. Henry D. Snyder 1950-52

Mrs. Eugene A. Hand 1952-54

Mrs. Wallace C. Strobel 1954-56

Mrs. Henry de Geus, II 1956-58

Mrs. Marshall Morley 1958-59

Mrs. Willard B. Krebs, Jr. 1959-60

Mrs. Robert Remensnyder 1960-61

Mrs. R. Joseph Heagany 1961-62

Mrs. John O. Goodsell, III 1962-63

Mrs. John F. Learman 1963-64

Mrs. Robert J. McLeod 1964-65

Mrs. Arthur M. Spence, Jr. 1965-66

Mrs. Harold D. Draper, Jr. 1966-67

Mrs. William G. Mason 1967-68

Mrs. Dale W. Wright 1968-69

Mrs. Major G. Leckie 1969-70

Mrs. Hugo E. Braun, Jr 1970-71

Mrs. Frank M. Johnson 1971-72

Mrs. Richard J. Stringer 1972-73

Mrs. Thomas T. Princing 1973-74

Mrs. Kimberly P. Schrader 1974-75

Mrs. Donald Donahue 1975-76

Mrs. Dennis R. Princing 1976-77

Mrs. Vera Hanisko 1977-78

Dr. Bonnie Smith Schulwitz 1978-79

Mrs. Alan H. Walton 1979-80

Mrs. Mary Ellen Vaydik 1980-81

Mrs. Ian R. Bund 1981-82

Ms. Mary Jane (Denton) Jurgens 1982-83

Mrs. Susan Richter 1983-84

Mrs. Francine Rifkin 1984-85

Mrs. Margaret Lennon 1985-86

Mrs. Linda Fettig 1986-87

Mrs. Andrea D. Muladore 1987-88

Mrs. Barbara A. Russell 1988-89

Miss Wendy Kaye Lewis 1989-90

Mrs. Pamela Graham 1990-91

Mrs. Sherrie Tiderington 1991-92

Mrs. Susan Sonntag 1992-93

Mrs. Roslyn McQueen 1993-94

Ms. Lori Reetz 1994-95

Mrs. Vanessa Harris 1995-96

Mrs. Dee Ann Bliss 1996-97

Mrs. Peggy Lotridge 1997-98

Mrs. Cynthia Morley 1998-99

Mrs. Colleen Lowry 1999-2000

Mrs. Anne Flegenheimer 2000-01

Mrs. Susan Nielsen 2001-02

Ms. Amanda Kitterman 2002-03

Mrs. Renee George Johnston 2003-04

Mrs. Janeen Sheridan 2004-05

Mrs. Stacie Duclos 2005-06

Mrs. Pam Ruth 2006-07

Mrs. Carolyn Mayne 2007-08

Mrs. Sara Robles 2008-09

Mrs. Elizabeth Stuber 2009-10

Mrs. Jennifer Jaffe 2010-11

Mrs. Kari Shaheen 2011-12

Mrs. LeAnne Iamurri 2012-13

Mrs. Kris Yackel-Friend 2013-14

Mrs. Jenifer Rifkin 2014-15

Ms. Adrienne Bowman 2015-16

Mrs. Abbe Adair 2016-17

Mrs. Casey Stevens 2017-18

Dr. Kelly Baumgartner 2018-19

Ms. Brenda Knaus 2019-20

Mrs. Angela Lund 2020-21

Mrs. Danielle Thurman 2021-22

Mrs. Carrie Strohkirch 2022-23