Michelle Obama’s Mother Marian Robinson, Dies At 86

Marian Robinson, the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, has died at 86. In a statement released by the family, Robinson died peacefully on Friday morning.

“Marian Lois Shields Robinson — our mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother — had a way of summing up the truths about life in a word or two, maybe a quick phrase that made everyone around her stop and think,” the statement reads. “She was always, always there, welcoming us back home no matter how far we had journeyed, with that deep and abiding love.”

The family statement was written by the Obama and Robinson family. No further details were given about the cause of her death.

Michelle Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, dies at 86 https://t.co/SiCn96K4pu

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 31, 2024

/div>

Robinson was born in 1937 and grew up as one of seven children in Chicago. She spent most of her life in Chicago before moving to Washington, D.C., after former President Barack Obama won the presidential election in 2008.

Fondly referred to as “the first grandma,” Robinson studied to become a teacher before working as a secretary. She married Fraser Robinson and raised two children, Craig and Michelle.

“We will all miss her greatly, and we wish she were here to offer us some perspective, to mend our heavy hearts with a laugh and a dose of her wisdom,” the family statement reads. “Yet we are comforted by the understanding that she has returned to the embrace of her loving Fraser.”

Following the news, Michelle shared a message on X, remembering her mother.

“My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed,” the former first lady wrote. “She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share that she passed away today.”

My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed. She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today. We wanted to offer some reflections on her remarkable life: https://t.co/F7T6q625PC

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 31, 2024

In a separate tweet, Obama expressed his condolences on her passing in a separate statement.

“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,” he wrote.

Robinson is survived by her children, Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, and grandchildren Avery, Leslie, Austin, and Aaron, as well as Malia and Sasha, the Obamas’ children.