Rosemary Margaret Hobor is a Canadian artist best known as the wife of late comedian and actor John Candy. She is also known professionally as Rose Candy.
She has lived most of her public life quietly, letting her art speak for her rather than seeking the spotlight her husband occupied. That privacy is part of why so much incorrect information about her circulates online, and why this article sticks to what reliable sources confirm.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Rosemary Margaret Hobor, known as Rose Candy
- Born: 30 August 1949, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Spouse: John Candy (married 28 April 1979, until his death in 1994)
- Children: Jennifer Candy and Christopher Candy
- Occupation: Artist, ceramicist, and abstract painter
- Studio base: Santa Monica, California
Early Life and Art Training
Rosemary Margaret Hobor was born on 30 August 1949 in Toronto, Canada. She studied at the Ontario College of Art, now Ontario College of Art and Design University, from 1969 to 1973.
Her training was in material arts, including painting, ceramics, and sculpture. She later took further courses in the United States, including at the Clayhouse Studio in Santa Monica and the Brentwood Art Center.
That training shaped a long working career in art. She works in ceramics and porcelain, abstract painting, and sculptural forms, and she exhibits and sells work under the professional name Rose Candy.
Meeting John Candy
Rosemary met John Candy in Toronto long before he became a household name in Hollywood. Accounts of their early years differ on small details, such as exactly how they were introduced, so this article does not present one unverified meeting story as fact.
What is consistent across sources is the timeline that followed: a long relationship in Toronto, then marriage as Candy’s career was rising in the late 1970s.
Marriage and Children
Rosemary Margaret Hobor married John Candy on 28 April 1979 in Toronto. Their marriage lasted until his death in 1994, just under 15 years.
They had two children together, not three:
- Jennifer Anne Candy, born in February 1980
- Christopher Michael Candy, born in September 1984
Both children have gone on to work in entertainment. Jennifer Candy is an actress, writer, and producer, and Christopher Candy is an actor and musician. The two siblings also served as co-executive producers, alongside their mother, on the documentary about their father, John Candy: I Like Me.
John Candy’s Death
John Candy died on 4 March 1994, aged 43, from a heart attack in Durango, Mexico, where he was filming the western comedy Wagons East. He died in his sleep in his hotel room.
He was born John Franklin Candy on 31 October 1950 in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. His final two films, Wagons East (1994) and Canadian Bacon (1995), were released after his death and dedicated to his memory.
He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Claims that his remains were taken back to Canada for a private burial near the family home are incorrect.
Life After 1994
Rosemary did not remarry after John Candy’s death, and no later public marriage is recorded. She has kept a private life, focused on her family and her art.
She has worked for many years from a studio in Santa Monica, California, where she creates ceramic and porcelain pieces and abstract paintings. Her work has been shown in Toronto, Chicago, and Los Angeles, among other cities, and she presents it through her artist website under the name Rose Candy.
She also signs her work and correspondence as Rose Candy, the name she has used professionally for decades.
John Candy’s Legacy
Interest in John Candy has continued long after his death, and it grew again with the 2025 documentary John Candy: I Like Me. Directed by Colin Hanks, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 before reaching Prime Video that October.
For Rosemary, the documentary was a family project as much as a public one. Her children worked on it as co-executive producers alongside her, bringing the story back to the people who knew Candy at home, not just on screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Rosemary Margaret Hobor married to?
She was married to Canadian actor and comedian John Candy from 28 April 1979 until his death on 4 March 1994.
How many children did Rosemary and John Candy have?
Two: Jennifer Candy, born in February 1980, and Christopher Candy, born in September 1984.
What does Rosemary Margaret Hobor do?
She is an artist working in ceramics, porcelain, abstract painting, and sculpture, based in Santa Monica, California, under the professional name Rose Candy.
Did Rosemary Margaret Hobor remarry?
No public remarriage is recorded. She has not remarried since John Candy’s death.
When was Rosemary Margaret Hobor born?
On 30 August 1949 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
