The night after winning a Candy Castle competition and earning the $10,000 prize, cake-legend Susan O'Boyle-Jacobson died of a heart attack at her home in Fridley, MN.
She had connections to the Perham area, and her passing was a great loss to many in the culinary decorating world which she wholeheartedly devoted herself to.
The Candy Castle competition was a part of the Food Network Challenge's television show. Four confectionary artists were selected to compete at the event held at the Mall of America in Minneapolis.
"My mom sounded like a 16-year-old school girl when she called me and told me about it," Susan's son Dan O'Boyle said of his mom's learning she was going to be on the show. "She was giddy and excited."
Susan O'Boyle-Jacobson lived in Fridley, MN with her husband Phil. "We used to come up here and go camping on Rush Lake when I was a kid," said Dan who lives in Dent with his wife Jessica (Johnson), a Perham area native.
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"It's pretty amazing," Dan said of his mom's experience on the show. "She was in shock I think for the most part. She had a pretty good feeling she would do well, but winning is a different thing. She spent months and months practicing."
He said how the contest was especially interesting for family members because they enjoy watching those types of shows.
Susan left a long legacy of dedicated work and service. In the fall of 2005, she spent 19 days in Russia where she mentored young bakers at a large production bakery. She communicated through an interpreter and shared new techniques and skills with the bakers.
"I thought it was pretty amazing for her to go there," said Dan who sees the trip to Russia as just one example of what made his mom such an incredible woman.
Susan O'Boyle-Jacobson was also a teacher at The Art Institutes International Minnesota where she took great pride in the success of her students. She was a guest instructor at the Kitchen Window and Kitchen Party culinary schools.
A scholarship fund has been setup in Susan's name at The Art Institutes International Minnesota. Contact Amy Carter at ac361@fac.aii.edu for more information.
"Chocolate bridges over sugar moats, ice cream cone towers rising from cake-filled castles--and that's just a taste of what you'll see when four confectionary architects joust for the Challenge crown and $10,000!" exclaims the Food Network's website.
This Food Network Challenge show, featuring Susan O'Boyle-Jacobson, will be aired October 29 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT and at 1:00 a.m. ET/PT. It will be rerun Nov. 1 at 9:00 p.m.; Nov. 2 at 12:00 a.m.; Nov. 4 at 6:00 p.m.; and Nov. 5 at 3:00 p.m. with all showings in ET/PT.
