Charles John Cretors ’34

Bud Cretors died June 16, 2006; he was 94. He ran his family's business, C. Cretors and Co., in Chicago from soon after World War II as the company's third-generation president until his retirement, when he turned it over to his oldest son, Charles D.

C. Cretors and Co. "started in 1885," Bud once explained, "when my grandfather (C. Cretors, of course) had the bright idea of popping corn in a butter preparation and salt. The family has been living off it ever since."

Cretors machines today dominate the popcorn-machine market.

Five years ago Bud held the distinction of having what was then believed to be a class-record seven great-grandchildren.

His response to that report was characteristic: "After a long and rather undistinguished life," he wrote a classmate, "to think I finally stepped out of the shadows of mediocrity due to the marital enthusiasm of some of my descendants is gratifying, to say the least."

Surviving are Bud's wife of 67 years, Georgia Donnersberger Cretors; two children; 10 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.