Marian Robinson — the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama and a quiet, steady presence throughout the Obama presidency — has passed away at the age of 86, her family confirmed in a heartfelt statement.
“She passed away peacefully this morning, and none of us is quite sure how we’ll move on without her,” the family shared. The statement was signed by Robinson’s children, Michelle and Craig; their spouses, Barack and Kelly; and her beloved grandchildren — Malia, Sasha, Avery, Leslie, Austin, and Aaron.
Robinson, affectionately known to many as America’s First Grandmother, became a treasured figure during the Obama administration. After Barack Obama’s historic 2008 election, she left her lifelong home in Chicago to move into the White House, where she helped care for her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha.
Though she largely stayed out of the spotlight, Robinson’s warmth and quiet strength became an anchor for the First Family. She attended concerts in the East Room, celebrated holidays, and even joined a few official trips abroad. But most of her time was devoted to the two young girls who called her Grandma.
Her family recalled that the decision to leave Chicago wasn’t an easy one. “She accepted the move with a healthy nudge,” they wrote. “She was needed — by us, by the girls — and she became our steady rock through it all.”
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