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Who was William Post? Inventor of popular breakfast staple Pop-Tarts passes away at 96
William Post, a Grand Rapids resident who is recognized for creating Pop-Tarts, a breakfast mainstay, passed away at the age of 96.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains references to an individual's death.
On February 10, William Bill Post, who is credited with creating the beloved Pop-Tarts for breakfast, passed away. William Post was 96 years old.
William Post- The creator of Pop-Tarts
In the early 1960s, Post was a manager of a Keebler plant in Grand Rapids, when he received a request from officials at the massive cereal company Kellogg's to create a breakfast item for the toaster.
Post then, he worked with a group of coworkers to create the initial versions of what he called "fruit scones," which eventually evolved into Pop-Tarts. When they were test-sold in Cleveland in late 1963, they became a huge hit.
Who was William Post?
Early life
William Post was born on June 27, 1927, and was raised in the south side of Grand Rapids, William (Bill) Post attended Grand Rapids Christian High School and was one of seven children born to Dutch immigrants. Bill worked as a part-time truck wash employee at Hekman Biscuit Company at the age of sixteen while he was a high school student.
He completed two years at Calvin College in addition to returning to his part-time employment at Hekman following his time in the Army Air Corps in occupied Japan. Around that time, he tied the knot with Florence (Schut), his high school sweetheart, and the two of them started an amazing 72-year journey filled with love and devotion.
Career
Bill met with executives from Kellogg's to discuss a new product idea while serving as manager at Hekman, which later became Keebler Company. Bill developed a close friendship with one of the executives, William LaMothe. It was during this conference that Bill received recognition for inventing the Pop Tart.
Bill acquired a position at the Keebler Company's headquarters in 1967, so he and his family relocated to Elmhurst, Illinois. He moved to Glen Arbor, Michigan, which is close to Glen Lake, after retiring at the age of 56 as a senior vice president.
Worked as a consultant
Kellogg later requested him to become a consultant. He accepted and spent the next twenty years working there, traveling and establishing friends throughout the world. Bill and Florence returned to Grand Rapids in 2003 in order to be nearer to their family.
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