“When my father was in the Navy, my mom taught cake decorating in Hawaii at Pearl Harbor. It wasn’t long before I got involved. I’ve been making cakes since I was in the eighth grade.
“When you have three kids you make their birthday cakes, and it just grows from there. I made all of their wedding cakes, too.
“I worked for a doctor for many years, but then I got too busy making cakes so I had to give that up.
“I have two kitchens at my home. In my lifetime I’ve probably baked thousands of cakes, and I try to take pictures of all of them.
“I used to be a caterer. I would be able to make four or five birthday cakes, and a wedding cake and a groom’s cake, and do all the food and everything in a weekend. I can’t do that anymore.
“I turned 70 in July. I say I’m trying to retire, but it’s not working. I’m still baking cakes.”
— Hattie Surles
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