Marian Robinson, the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, has passed away at the age of 86, according to a statement from the Obama and Robinson families.
"She was beloved beyond words by countless others whose lives were enriched by her presence," the statement from Barack and Michelle Obama, Craig and Kelly Robinson, and their children said.
“She passed peacefully this morning, and right now, none of us are quite sure how we’ll move on without her,” the statement continued.
Michelle Obama shared on social media, “My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed. She was the same steady support for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today.”
“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,” Barack Obama wrote on X.
During their time in the White House, Robinson lived with the Obamas and was frequently seen at family events, including handing out goodie bags to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
“We needed her. The girls needed her,” the family’s statement noted about her move to Washington. “And she ended up being our rock through it all.”
A native of Chicago, Robinson returned to the city after the Obamas left the White House. She was married to Fraser Robinson, with whom she had two children, Michelle and Craig. Fraser Robinson passed away in 1991 after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis.
The statement highlighted Robinson’s deep involvement in her children's education, recalling how she taught “her children to read at an early age, sitting together as they sounded out words on a page, giving them the strength and confidence to walk to school.” It also mentioned her presence during significant moments in history, such as Election Night in 2008, when Barack Obama won the presidency. She was there, holding his hand as the news broke.
David Axelrod, former senior adviser to Obama, remembered Robinson as “just a great lady.” He told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room" that she “was a South Sider through and through” and during her time at the White House, “she did not take to the whole celebrity lifestyle.” Instead, Axelrod noted, “she would often slip out of the White House on her own and visit with friends. … She really wasn’t looking for attention.”
Michelle Obama also reflected on her mother’s impact, recalling how her mother reacted to the Obamas’ portraits at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in 2018. She described watching her mother sit at the base of her portrait and look up at it with awe. “For me, watching her see me in that way meant the world to me,” Michelle Obama said.
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