Obama Family’s Sad Annou
Marian Robinson, Mother of Michelle Obama, Dies at 86
Marian Robinson, the beloved mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama,
has passed away at age 86, her family confirmed.
“She passed away quietly this morning, and at this time, none of us is quite sure how exactly we’ll move on without her,”
the family said in a statement signed by her children, grandchildren, Michelle, and Barack Obama.
A Constant Presence in the White House
After Barack Obama’s 2008 election, Robinson became known as “the nation’s first grandmother.”
Moving from Chicago to Washington, D.C., she lived in the White House to help raise her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha.
“She was necessary to us. She was needed by the girls. And she proved to be our pillar of support during it all,” the family said.
Humble and Grounded
Known for her modesty, Robinson preferred quiet family life over fame. Barack Obama once described her as “the least pretentious person I know.”
She famously asked to do her own laundry in the White House and spent her free time watching TV rather than attending high-profile events.
Legacy of Love and Strength
Born in Chicago in 1937, Robinson raised Michelle and Craig Robinson with her late husband, Fraser.
Michelle said her mother “taught me how to think for myself, how to use my own voice, and how to understand my own worth.” The family’s statement concluded, “There was and will be only one Marian Robinson. The extraordinary gift of her life lifts us up in our sadness.”
