Max John "M.J." Probst

Max John “M.J.” Probst, of Washington, D.C., passed away there on Saturday, June 23, 2012, following a nine year battle with cancer, at age 71. Graveside services will be held Saturday, June 30, at 10:00 A.M. at Ebenezer Cemetery, near Kosse, where his mother is interred. Reverend John Montgomery of the First United Methodist Church in Kosse will officiate. M. J. was born September 11, 1940, in North Little Rock, Arkansas, to Paul and Margaret (Lieb) Probst. He grew up there and graduated from high school in 1957. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor’s degree in 1961 and then earned his law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1964. While in Arkansas, M.J. married Sydney Slack, and a daughter, Peggy was born there. The family moved to Washington, D.C. after his graduation from law school, where he was employed with the Internal Revenue Service, and later with Senator John McClellan, from Arkansas. Their son, Jason Probst was born in Washington. In 1968, the family moved back to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where M.J. practiced law, as a criminal defense attorney. After another move back to the Washington, D.C. area in 1988, he pursued other business and consulting endeavors. M.J. was united in marriage later with Arleen Ryan in Washington, and they made their home there the rest of his life. Travel, especially to the beaches of the Caribbean with the sun and ocean, spending time with his children, and time with the many different dogs that he loved, as well as being a lifelong voracious reader, were his interests outside of his career. He was loyal to his sports teams, the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Washington Redskins and Nationals. He is survived by his wife, Arleen Probst of Washington, D.C.; daughter, Peggy Probst of Fayetteville, Arkansas; son, Jason Probst and wife, Jacqueline of Coopersburg, Pennsylvania; grandchildren, Charles Probst, Vincent Probst, and Catherine Probst of Coopersburg; sister, Peggy Probst Phelps and husband Lyndon of Kosse, TX, and Paula Probst Stanley and husband Bill of Kosse, TX.