- Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama's mother, dies at 86.
- She was a beloved figure during Barack Obama's presidency.
- The Obamas praise her as a rock and steady presence.
- Her legacy will be honored with a museum exhibit.
Marian Robinson, the mother of former US First Lady Michelle Obama, has passed away at the age of 86. Her family announced that she died peacefully on Friday morning.
Robinson was a beloved figure during her son-in-law Barack Obama’s presidency, from 2009 to 2017. She spent most of that time caring for her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha.
Michelle Obama paid tribute to her mother on social media, calling her “my rock, always there for whatever I needed.” She described her mother as a steady presence for their entire family.
Barack Obama also honored his mother-in-law, saying “there was and will be only one Marian Robinson.” He added that her life was an extraordinary gift and that they would strive to live up to her example.
Marian Robinson was born in 1937 in Chicago, where she grew up and spent most of her life. She worked as a teacher and secretary before raising her two children, Michelle and Craig, with her husband Frasier Robinson.
After Barack Obama’s election victory, Robinson agreed to move to Washington DC to support her family. She became a fixture at the White House, where she insisted on doing her own laundry.
In an interview, Robinson said she had felt compelled to move to Washington to ensure her family’s safety and well-being. She had never traveled outside the US until she flew on Air Force One with the Obamas to France in 2009.
Robinson preferred a simple life, enjoying time with her family and TV trays in her room. She met the Pope during her time at the White House and would often slip out to visit friends, enjoying her privacy.
On Mother’s Day, just weeks before her passing, Michelle Obama announced that an exhibit at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago would be named in her honor.
The Obama family remembered Robinson as a loving and supportive presence, who fostered confidence and independence in her children and grandchildren. Her legacy will live on through her family and the many lives she touched.
