How did William Post die?

William “Bill” Post, the visionary behind Pop-Tarts, passed away on Saturday, as confirmed by Michigan’s MKD Funeral Home. He was 96.

“We are deeply saddened to share the news that William ‘Bill’ Post passed away over the weekend,” said Kellanova, the current manufacturer of Pop-Tarts, in a statement to PEOPLE. “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.”

Post, born to Dutch immigrants on June 27, 1927, and raised in Grand Rapids, embarked on his career in the food industry at the age of 16, washing trucks for a regional bakery, Hekman Biscuit Company, later known as the American cookie manufacturer Keebler.

Following his service in the Army Air Corps during WWII, Post returned to Michigan and pursued higher education at Calvin College while continuing his employment at Hekman Biscuit Company.

Ascending the ranks, Post became a plant manager for the company at the age of 21. Two decades later, Kellogg’s executives approached him with an opportunity for collaboration on a new product they sought to launch—the Pop-Tart.

Originally named “Fruit Scones,” the popular pastry underwent a transformation to align with the Pop Art trend.

“While Bill is often credited with inventing the Pop-Tart, he 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,’” read his obituary.

Three years after the original Pop-Tarts’ launch, the Post family relocated to Illinois to accommodate Bill’s role at the Keebler Company’s corporate office. Climbing the corporate ladder, he eventually served as a senior vice president before retiring at the age of 56. Subsequently, he was recruited by Kellogg as a consultant—a position he held for the next 20 years. Following Kellogg’s acquisition of Keebler in 2001, Post and his wife, Florence, returned to Grand Rapids.

Post and his wife celebrated 72 years of marriage before her passing in 2020. He is survived by his two children, Dan Post and Rachel DeYoung, along with their respective spouses, Jackie Post and John DeYoung, as well as his seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.