GLEN ARBOR, Mich. (NEWSnet/AP) — William Post, a Michigan man who played an important role in the development of Pop-Tarts, has died.

Post died Feb. 10 at age 96, according to a family obituary.

He was raised in Grand Rapids as one of seven children of Dutch immigrants and had retired at age 56 as a senior vice president with Keebler Company and settled in Glen Arbor, Michigan.

Representatives from Kellanova, formerly known as Kellogg Co., said they are “deeply saddened” by Post’s death.

“He played an important role in co-creating the iconic Pop-Tarts brand and we are grateful to Bill for his legacy and lasting contributions to our company,” Kellanova said.

Pop-Tarts debuted in 1964 in Cleveland. The toaster pastry initially was sold in four flavors: strawberry, blueberry, brown sugar cinnamon and apple-currant. The product was released nationwide the following year.

Post’s family wrote in his obituary that he was a plant manager with a company later known as Keebler, when Kellogg executives asked him if he thought it would be possible for Keebler to create a new product.

His obituary states that one of the executives was Kellogg chairman William LaMothe, who “soon became Bill’s close friend.”

“It is at this juncture that Bill is often credited for having ‘invented’ the Pop Tart. To be accurate, however, Bill would say, ‘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,’” according to the the obituary.

Post, whose wife, Florence, died in 2020, is survived by a son and daughter and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A service will be held March 7 at Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, according to his obituary on Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf Funeral Home’s website.

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