Marian Robinson, Mother of Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Passes Away at 86

Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, has passed away at the age of 86. In a family statement, Michelle and Barack Obama, Craig and Kelly Robinson, and Marian’s grandchildren, Avery, Leslie, Malia, Sasha, Austin, and Aaron, said, “She passed peacefully this morning, and we’re not sure how we’ll move on without her.”

Marian Robinson gained national recognition as the country’s first grandmother after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election. She became a familiar figure in the White House, supporting her daughter’s family while keeping a low profile. Known for attending holiday events, occasional overseas trips, and concerts in the East Room, Robinson primarily dedicated her time to her granddaughters, Sasha and Malia.

Having spent her entire life in Chicago, Robinson moved to Washington, D.C., in 2009 to help take care of her granddaughters, who were seven and ten years old at the time. Reflecting on her decision to move, she shared in a CBS interview, “I felt like this was going to be a very hard life for both of them. And I was worried about their safety, and I was worried about my grandkids. That’s what got me to move to D.C.”

The Obama family emphasized how essential Robinson was to their lives, stating, “We needed her. The girls needed her. And she ended up being our rock through it all.” They fondly recalled how she loved her role as a grandmother, enforcing household rules while also siding with her “grandbabies” against their strict parents.

Born in Chicago in 1937, Robinson grew up in the city’s South Side, raising her daughter Michelle and son Craig. She was married to Fraser Robinson, who passed away in 1991 from multiple sclerosis.

Former President Barack Obama once praised his mother-in-law as “the least pretentious person I know.” Robinson herself admitted it was a “huge adjustment” being waited on by White House staff, whom she eventually convinced to let her do her own laundry. The family recounted how she preferred the simplicity of a TV tray and a room with a view of the Washington Monument over mingling with celebrities and dignitaries.

Michelle Obama shared a deep bond with her mother. Robinson narrated the biographical video introducing Michelle at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. After leaving the White House, Robinson humorously remarked, “My saying is when I grow up, I would like to be like Michelle Obama.”

On Mother’s Day, Michelle Obama honored her mother by announcing an exhibit at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago named after her. “In so many ways, she fostered in me a deep sense of confidence in who I was and who I could be by teaching me how to think for myself, how to use my own voice, and how to understand my own worth,” Michelle said in a video announcement. “I simply wouldn’t be who I am today without my mom.”

The family’s statement concluded, “There was and will be only one Marian Robinson. In our sadness, we are lifted up by the extraordinary gift of her life. And we will spend the rest of ours trying to live up to her example.”