Marian Robinson, the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama and a beloved matriarch of the Obama family, has passed away at the age of 86. Her death was confirmed in a statement released by the Obama family on Friday, which noted that she died peacefully in the morning hours surrounded by loved ones.
Marian Robinson was known for her steady presence and deep devotion to her family, offering quiet but powerful support throughout her daughter’s public life, including during the historic presidency of Barack Obama.
Born Marian Lois Shields in Chicago, Illinois, in 1937, she was one of seven children raised on the city’s South Side. She married Fraser C. Robinson III, a decorated World War II Army veteran and long-serving employee of the Chicago Water Department. Together, they raised two children: Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, and Craig Robinson, a former college basketball coach and sports executive.
