William “Bill” Post, the creator of the popular Pop-Tart toaster, died Saturday, his family announced. He was 96 years old.
Mr. Post, a Michigan native and son of immigrants who rose from truck washer to senior vice president, brightened the mornings of millions of Americans with his sweet pastries that hit store shelves in 1964.
Great-grandfather is often credited with inventing the breakfast treat, but he always said it was a team effort. According to his obituary.
Post grew up in Grand Rapids, one of seven children of Dutch immigrants. He married his high school sweetheart, Florence Schutt, and served in the Army Air Corps in occupied Japan.
When he was just 16 years old, Post took a part-time job washing trucks for the Hekman Biscuit Company (later the Keebler Company).
Five years later, he was promoted to the position of full-time human resources manager, but “helped with sales, production, and anything else he could learn,” his loved ones wrote in a memorial.
Some 20 years later, when Post was Hekman’s factory manager, he welcomed Kellogg executives and asked Hekman/Keebler to develop a product they had in mind.
This product later became Pop-Tarts, and is now available at nearly every grocery store and supermarket in the United States.
During his lifetime, Post was interviewed many times about his inventions, and each time he said the credit was shared.
“Bill would say, ‘I assembled a great team that took Kellogg’s shelf-stable toaster pastry concept and developed it into a great product that we brought to market in just four months.'” stated in the death notice.
He frequently shared the story of Pop-Tarts with younger generations, hoping to inspire them while always giving out samples of his invention.
“Bill has been interviewed over the years by national and international newspaper reporters (including the New York Times), television reporters (History Channel, CBS, etc.), and radio hosts,” his statement said. There is. “He was asked to tell Pop Tart stories to young people in countless classrooms, and was always happy to oblige, giving the ‘Son of Immigrants’ a testimony of God’s goodness and never ending his life.” I brought some of the missing Pop-Tarts with me.”
After moving to Elmhurst, Illinois, in 1967 to work at Keebler’s corporate headquarters, Post was eventually promoted to senior vice president.
He then retired at age 56 and moved to Glen Arbor, Michigan, but remained as a consultant with the company for the next 20 years.
Post was a religious man who attributed his success to God and served his community for 60 years as a member of the school board and Gideons International.
“Despite his extraordinary life and legendary accomplishments, Bill remained a humble man of God with a generous servant’s heart…He was the first to give comfort and the Bible. I read and prayed for my friends and family in America’ needed. He continued to play that role until the end of his life, leaving a huge void in his very large and cherished circle of friends,” his loved ones said.
Florence, Post’s wife of 72 years and “his best friend,” passed away in 2020.
But he leaves behind two children and their spouses, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were the “lights of my life.”
“He was such a positive force that after a conversation with Bill you would leave feeling lighter and with a bright smile on your face,” his loved ones wrote.
Post’s story of a four-month journey to invent the Pop-Tart inspired a Netflix movie. is scheduled to be released in May.
The movie “Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story” was written and directed by Jerry Seinfeld and co-stars with many big name comedians.
