Selma Probst, 87, a homemaker who built a decades-long career as a business owner and motivational speaker from a foundation of 1950s Tupperware parties, died Saturday, Jan. 11, in her Skokie home. Mrs. Probst, a native of Chicago and a resident of Skokie for four decades, attended Lindblom High School, said her brother Robert Goodman. Born Selma Goodman, she married Herman Probst in 1934. Her first job was selling gifts at the 1933-’34 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago for 50 cents a day. Mrs. Probst also worked for a rationing board during World War II, but she did not start her career until 1954, when she began selling Tupperware. She worked her way up to a top position in Chicago-area distribution and was a company executive for many years. Mrs. Probst was active in several women’s business groups, including Business and Professional Women. While still working for Tupperware, Mrs. Probst founded Jillian Communications in 1983 to make use of her experience training more than 100,000 Tupperware employees. After retiring from Tupperware in the late 1980s, Mrs. Probst continued consulting for Tupperware for several years, acting as a motivational speaker at gatherings throughout the world until only a few years ago. “She was incredibly positive, incredibly enthusiastic, incredibly giving person, whether it was to the women she worked with or her grandchildren, or her grandchildren’s friends,” said her daughter Linda Schwartz. Mrs. Probst also was active for many years as a member of Cook County Court Watchers, following the still-unsolved murder of her son Ralph, a Cook County sheriff’s police officer, in 1967. Besides her daughter and brother, survivors include another brother, Alvin Goodman; four grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Services have been held.
