Words from NYU Chemistry Professor Emeritus David Schuster
I was shocked to learn about the passing of Bill Probst, but at the same time, I was glad to hear how much he was respected and loved as a teacher of chemistry and physics at Lacordaire Academy. Bill and I were very good pals in his years at NYU where he did some beautiful work. I continued to see Bill and his lovely wife, Judy (a former premed student at NYU), occasionally in the years immediately after Bill graduated. He later had a very serious car accident in Alaska where he went annually with his brother on a salmon fishing trip. The car he was driving plunged down a canyon to avoid hitting a deer or moose on the road. He was eventually found and taken by helicopter to a local hospital and then to Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York for extensive surgery. He was in very bad shape when I saw him there, and I was devastated. We lost touch after that, but I frequently thought of him. After Bill's passing, I had a long conversation with Ms. Mannato in which she told me how she met him, and how he had finally found his niche at Lacordaire, which made me very happy. He was a great guy!
Words from Megan Mannato, Head of Lacordaire Academy
It is with great sadness that I write to you this afternoon. This weekend, we unexpectedly lost our beloved Science teacher, Dr. William Probst.
Dr. P, as many of the students called him, lived for Lacordaire. Never was a teacher more dedicated to an Academy or his students, than he. On any given day, Dr. P could be found chatting with students or faculty. He found great joy out of being around all of us and was always excited to interact with this community. He was one of the kindest individuals that I have ever known and the world was a better place with him in it. He will be sorely missed by this community.
Dr. P was a brilliant man. The worlds of chemistry and physics made total sense to him, and he strove to share the wonder he found in them with his students. He persistently strove to make his teaching better to enable his students to learn and many students found their love of science with him as a teacher. Even though he has been teaching for many years, the excitement that he brought to each and every class was contagious.
Dr. Probst had a huge heart and was a gentle soul, who always had a smile on his face and one of the best senses of humor. He loved his students and the Academy, and he will be greatly missed. We will be planning a memorial service for him at some point in December and will keep you all posted in regard to that information.
Please keep Dr. Probst, and his family and friends, in your prayers.
My condolences to the entire community,
Megan Mannato
Head of School
Lacordaire Academy
