She was born on September 15, 1938 in Mannheim Germany to Margarete (Steinbrenner)
and Franz Braner. They lived in Mannheim until bomb blasts decimated her home and the
family moved to the small town of Tairnbach, Germany when she was seven years old. She
grew up in Tairnbach and then moved and went to school in Heidelberg, where she met and
married John Radigan, an American serviceman from New York City.
She moved to New York in 1958, working in a bakery, first serving and assisting with baking
then accounting and book-keeping as she managed the bakery. Her daughter, Corinna was
born on Nov. 1, 1959. In the early 1960’s she divorced and moved with Corinna to
Milwaukee, WI where her sister Loni lived with her American husband Larry. Together, the
three of them owned and operated their own restaurant for several years. She then worked
for many years at Mader’s Restaurant in Milwaukee. During that time, she met and married
Gerhard Krause and they had two daughters, Pamela (b. 1964) and Ramona Martina (b.
1968). In 1977, she married Charles (Chuck) E. Bingen, to whom she was wed until his death
in 1993. Margot was a realtor for Century 21 during the 1980’s and 1990’s and when Chuck
retired, they were a real estate team. Homes and Interior and Exterior design were keen
interests that Margot had an exceptional flair for, along with her love of beauty, and patronage
of music and fine arts.
After Chuck’s death, she moved to Sarasota, Florida with her partner, Heinz Philipp, and then
to a lovely home in Lakewood Ranch in 2001 where she resided until her death.
Margot loved to travel, and visited the majority of the continental United States, Canada,
Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, China, Russia, Singapore, South America (to include the South
Pole!),Egypt, the Mediterranean, The Caribbean, and the majority of countries in Europe.
Visiting her daughter, family, and friends in Germany was very important and extra special to
her, as she always loved her birth country.
Margot loved sports of all kinds,especially German Soccer (Deutsches Fussball Vereinfavorite
teams- Hoffenheim and Dortmund-NOT Bayern-Muenchen!). Special favorites were
the Green Bay Packers, professional tennis, (she had been an avid tennis player) and auto
racing, especially NASCAR, having watched many a race at the Milwaukee Mile and Road
America.
Margot was an excellent baker and cook, known especially for her outstanding cakes and
German Spaetzle and Rouladen. One of her greatest enjoyments was entertaining for a
house full of people and cooking multi-course meals resplendent with flavor and hospitality.
Flower gardening was a huge passion, along with her love of the state of Florida, nature,
warm weather, and her orange tree.
She was a passionate American, very proud of her citizenship, extremely patriotic and
dedicated to America’s future. She had been a member of the Women’s League and The
Republican Party. She was headstrong, independent and caring, and a loyal, compassionate
friend.
She was a proud Omi to Austin Rene Moore-Gotsch (Michael Gotsch), Thomas Melbourne
Moore and Brandon Michael Franz. She was a second mother to Geri Herrmann.
She is survived by her daughters, grandchildren and many extended family, friends, and
wonderful neighbors. She is preceded in death by her parents Franz & Margarete Braner, and sister Loni Rieder. She will be sorely missed.
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