William “Bill” Post, the man credited with inventing the beloved Pop Tart died on Saturday, a Michigan funeral home confirmed to PEOPLE. He was 96.
Post’s career in the food industry began at just 16 in Grand Rapids, when he got a job washing trucks at Hekman Business Company – which later became the popular snack brand known as Keebler.
After serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Japan, Post returned to Hekman and rose up in the company, according to this obituary.
According to MKD Funeral Home, Post later “welcomed some executives from Kellogg’s who asked if he thought it would be possible for Keebler to create a new product they had in mind.”
Following this meeting, Post was often said to have “invented” the Pop Tart, but he always spread the credit to his team.
“I assembled an amazing team that developed Kellogg’s concept of a shelf-stable toaster pastry into a fine product that we could bring to market in the span of just four months,” he would say.
Kellogg brand Pop-Tarts arranged in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, US, on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty)
Pop Tarts debuted on store shelves in 1964 with the four original flavors – strawberry, blueberry, brown sugar cinnamon and apple-currant.
Now, six decades later, there are dozens of flavors on the market with new ones constantly being added and developed.
The collaboration between Kellogg’s and Keebler continued until Kellogg’s finally bought them out in 2001.
“In spite of an extraordinary life and legendary accomplishments, Bill remained a humble man of God with a servant’s heart that seemed to overflow with generosity,” his obituary stated.
He served the communities in which he lived as a board member for schools, churches, the YMCA, and was a member of Gideons International for 60 years. He was the first to bring comfort, read scripture and offer a prayer with any friend or family member in need. He continued to fill that role to the very end of his life and leaves a big void in a very large circle of treasured friends. Always crediting his wonderful life to “Christ who gives me strength”, he was such a positive force that after a conversation with Bill, you would leave with a lighter heart and a brighter smile.
Post retired at age 56 – but not for long.
The longtime employee answered a request from Kellogg’s to come back on as a traveling consultant, a role he would hold for the next 20 years. This job included “worldwide travel and the forging of international friendships,” according to his obituary.
Post and his wife, Florence were married for an amazing 72 years when she died in 2020.
He is survived by his two children, Dan and Rachel, seven grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
The story behind Post’s invention is being chronicled in the upcoming Netflix comedy movie Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story, starring Jerry Seinfeld. It will be released on May 3, PEOPLE reported.
