John Candy was the kind of guy who felt like everyone’s favorite uncle. When he passed away in a hotel room in Durango, Mexico, back in 1994, it didn't just feel like a celebrity death. It felt like a family loss. But while the world mourned the man who gave us Planes, Trains and Automobiles, a very real family was left to pick up the pieces in private.
At the center of that family was his wife, Rosemary Margaret Hobor.
If you are looking for John Candy wife now, you won't find her in the tabloids or on a reality show. She didn't "move on" in the Hollywood sense. Honestly, she stayed remarkably loyal to the memory of the man she met on a blind date in the 1970s. Today, Rose Candy (as she is professionally known) lives a life defined by quiet resilience, high-end ceramics, and a refusal to let her husband’s legacy be forgotten.
Life After the Laughter Stopped
When John died of a heart attack at just 43, Rose was suddenly a single mother with two kids, Jennifer and Christopher, who were only 14 and 9 at the time. That’s a heavy lift. Most people in her position might have cashed in on a "tell-all" book or stayed in the limelight to keep the checks rolling in.
Rose did the opposite.
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She retreated. She focused on the kids. She leaned into her Catholic faith. Most importantly, she went back to her first love: art.
You’ve got to understand that Rose was an artist long before she was "Mrs. John Candy." She studied at the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCADU) in the early '70s. After John passed, she eventually moved the family to Los Angeles and settled in Santa Monica, where she still maintains a private studio today.
What is she doing in 2026?
Rosemary hasn't remarried. To this day, she still considers herself John’s wife. In a world where celebrity marriages last about as long as a TikTok trend, there’s something deeply moving about that.
She spends her time working with porcelain and ceramics. If you check out her professional portfolios, you’ll see she’s a legitimate talent—not just a hobbyist. She creates intricate, abstract pieces that have been featured in galleries like the Las Laguna Art Gallery. She’s also a big supporter of the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and Make-A-Wish, carrying on the charitable spirit John was famous for.
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The 2025 Documentary: A Rare Public Moment
For decades, Rose stayed almost entirely silent. She didn't do the talk show circuit. She didn't give interviews. But that changed recently because of a project she couldn't say no to.
In late 2025, the documentary John Candy: I Like Me hit Prime Video. It was a massive deal. Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds (a fellow Canadian who basically worships Candy), the film was the first time the family opened up their private archives.
Rose appeared in the documentary. Seeing her on screen was a bit of a shock for fans who hadn't seen her in decades. She’s still got that same calm, grounding energy that Martin Short once described as the "wise element" that kept John sane. She shared home videos that had never been seen before—clips of John being a dad, not a movie star.
- The "McDonald's" Wedding Myth: One of the funniest parts of the documentary (and Rose’s recent rare comments) was debunking the rumor that they got married at a McDonald's. They didn't. There just happened to be a McDonald's sign in the background of a photo taken in Toronto.
- The Script Typist: She often jokes about their early days. After their blind date, John didn't call her for a second date right away. Instead, he called to ask if she could help him type a script. She did. The rest is history.
The Kids are Grown Up
You can't talk about John Candy wife now without looking at the children she raised alone. Jennifer and Christopher are both in the industry, and they look exactly like their father. It’s actually a bit uncanny.
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Jennifer Candy-Sullivan is an actress and producer (you might recognize her from Liv and Maddie). She’s married now and has a son named Finley, who apparently inherited the "Candy hair." Christopher is also an actor and musician.
They both credit their mother for being the "rock" that kept them from spiraling after their father died. While many Hollywood kids struggle, the Candy children seem incredibly well-adjusted, which says a lot about Rosemary’s parenting during those lean years in the 90s.
Where to Find Her Work
If you’re interested in the artistic side of the family, Rose is quite active online under her professional name. She isn't posting selfies or "day in the life" videos. Instead, she posts her work.
- Her Website: RoseCandyArtist.com serves as a digital gallery for her latest ceramic and painting collections.
- Social Media: She uses Instagram (under the handle @helllorose) primarily to showcase her studio process and occasionally post a touching tribute to John on his birthday or Father’s Day.
- Los Angeles Galleries: She still participates in local art shows in the Santa Monica and Laguna Beach areas.
The Actionable Takeaway
Rosemary Margaret Hobor's life is a masterclass in how to handle grief and fame with dignity. She chose a path of "creative privacy." She didn't let her identity be swallowed by her husband's shadow, but she also never walked away from his memory.
If you want to honor the legacy of the Candy family today, the best thing you can do is support the arts or the charities they still champion. Watching the I Like Me documentary is also a great way to see Rose in her own words. It's a reminder that behind every great "funny man" is often a very strong, very quiet woman holding the world together.
Go check out her ceramic work online. It’s a completely different vibe than Uncle Buck, but it’s just as full of soul. Rose has proven that while the laughter might have stopped on set in 1994, the creativity and the love in the Candy house never did.