Celebrities, community leaders react to the death of Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother

Condolences, tributes and well wishes are pouring in for the Obama family following the breaking news of the death of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s mother.

On Friday, Marian Robinson, who was born in Chicago in 1937, passed away peacefully at the age of 86.

RELATED NEWS: Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother, dies at 86

Michelle Obama

“My mother, Marian Robinson, was my rock, always there for whatever I needed. She was the same constant guarantee for our whole family,” Michelle wrote on X, while sharing the link to a longer tribute she wrote herself, former President Barack Obama. daughters Malia and Sasha and several other family members.

The Obama family

“Marian Lois Shields Robinson—our mother, mother-in-law and grandmother—had a way of summing up the truths of life in a word or two, perhaps a quick phrase that made everyone around her stop and think. Her wisdom came as almost innate, something she was born with, but in reality it was hard-earned, shaped by her deep understanding that the world’s roughest edges could always be smoothed away with a little grace.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff.

“To know what is truly precious.

“As a parent, you don’t raise children, you raise little people.

“Don’t worry if someone else likes you. Come home. We will always like you here.

“She grew up one of seven children on the red side of Chicago’s South Side, the daughter of Purnell Shields and Rebecca Jumper. When she was a teenager, her parents separated and her mother supported herself as a care assistant. Her father, because of the color of his skin, was not allowed to join a union or work for larger construction firms, and he became distrustful of a world that seemed to have no place for him. Yet many mornings she would wake her children at sunrise blasting jazz records like an alarm clock. She learned early that even in the face of adversity, there is music to be found.

“As a young woman, she studied to become a teacher before working as a secretary. She fell fast and madly in love with Fraser Robinson, another South Sider with the brawn of a boxer and the cool of a jazz lover. Together, they raised two children, Craig and Michelle, in a small upstairs apartment on Euclid Avenue in the South Shore.

“She volunteered for the PTA and taught her children to read from a young age, sitting together as they put words on a page, giving them the strength and confidence to go to school – and out into the world – on their own. She once chewed out a police officer who accused Craig of stealing a bike, demanding that the adult apologize to her son. – in the movies, on New Year’s Eve, she would pass the pigs in a blanket and raise a toast to Auld Lang Syne, and every night, for years, she and Fraser held court at the table, where they indulged in all sorts of questions , teaching their children to believe in the power and value of their own voices.

“When Craig decided to leave a lucrative job in finance to pursue his dream of coaching basketball, she was there with her wholehearted support. When Michelle married a guy crazy enough to go into politics, she was just as encouraging. At every step, like ours. Families have walked paths none of us could have predicted, she remained our storm shelter, keeping our feet on solid ground, on election night 2008 when the news broke that Barack would soon the weight of the world, she was there. , holding his hand.

“With a healthy nudge, she agreed to move into the White House with Michelle and Barack. We needed her. The girls needed her. And she ended up being our rock through it all. She relished her role grandmother to Malia and Sasha—just as she loved Avery, Leslie, Austin, and Aaron. grandchildren No matter what household rules we set for bedtime, watching TV, or eating candy, she made it clear that she sided with her “grandparents” who thought their parents were too strict.

“The decorum and glamor of the White House never suited Marian Robinson. ‘Just show me how to work the washing machine and I’m good,’ she used to say. Instead of messing around with Oscar winners or Nobel laureates, I preferred to- and spends time upstairs with a television tray in the room off her bedroom with large windows that looked out on the Washington Monument great friends with the doormen and butlers who make the White House a home She often sneaks out to she would buy cards at CVS and sometimes another customer might recognize her. She would smile and reply, “Oh, I totally get it.”

“After the White House, she returned to Chicago, reconnecting with longtime friends, exchanging ideas, traveling and enjoying a good glass of wine. She passed quietly this morning, and at this point, none of us know exactly how I’ll go on without her.

“As a mother, she was our support, a calm and non-judgmental witness to our triumphs and stumbles. She was always, always there, welcoming us home, no matter how far we traveled, with that deep and abiding love.

“To Barack and Kelly, she was the best mother-in-law anyone could hope for. I teased her sometimes that she should stop thinking she was “imposing” on us because we always wanted to see more of her. , only slightly.

“As a grandmother, at every stage of their lives, from childhood to adulthood, she watched over her grandchildren’s growth and development, inspiring them, listening to them, telling them she was proud of them, making them they feel loved, as if they. they were outstanding in every way.

“And as a sister, aunt, cousin, neighbor and friend to many, she was loved beyond words by countless others whose lives were enhanced by her presence.

“We will all miss her dearly and wish she was here to give us perspective, to mend our heavy hearts with a laugh and a dose of her wisdom.

“However, we’re comforted by the understanding that she’s back in the arms of her lover Fraser, that she’s pulled her TV tray up to his chair, that they’re clinking their highball glasses as she catches him up with stories about it. wild, beautiful ride he missed so much.

“‘The whole world is full of little Craigs and little Michelles,’” she often reminded us, emphasizing the beauty and potential of every child.

“As always, he was right. What is also true – although she flatly denied it – is that there was and will be only one Marian Robinson. In our sadness, we are uplifted by the extraordinary gift of her life. And we will the rest of us trying to live up to her example.”

– Michelle, Craig, Barack, Kelly, Avery, Leslie, Malia, Sasha, Austin and Aaron

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden

“I knew Mrs. Marian Robinson as a devoted mother and grandmother with a fierce and unconditional love of her family. With the blessing of friendship, we felt we loved ourselves—with every quiet smile or warm hug he shared.

“She believed, as we do, that family is the beginning, the middle and the end. She moved to the White House to be there for her family when they needed her most, and in doing so, she served her country right by their side. Her life reminds us that we are a great nation because we are a good people.

“The entire Biden family sends their deepest love to Michelle, Craig, Barack, Kelly and the six irrepressible grandchildren she helped raise and loved so much and in whom her kind and gentle spirit lives on.

“May she rest in peace with her beloved Fraser. God bless Mrs. Marian Robinson.”

Dr. Bernice A. King

“My sincere condolences to First Lady Michelle Obama and her family on the passing of her beloved mother, Marian Robinson. My thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time. May you find peace and strength in your cherished memories.”

— Bernice

Martin Luther King, Jr. Center

“Our thoughts and prayers are with First Lady Michelle Obama and her entire family during this difficult time. We are deeply saddened by the passing of her mother, Marian Robinson. May they find strength and comfort in each other and in fond memories of the lady. . The Remarkable Life of Robinson”.

rev. Al Sharpton

“Our hearts go out to the Robinson/Obama family as we all mourn the loss of Marian Robinson. Mother Robinson was a remarkable woman who embodied strength, grace and resilience. She was a true warrior, an inspiration to us all.

“We are grateful for her presence in the Robinson/Obama family and the impact she has had as a loving mother and grandmother. May her spirit continue to guide and uplift us.

“Rest in strength, #MarianRobinson“

Magic Johnson

“May you rest in peace, the remarkable Marian Robinson, mother of First Lady Michelle Obama. Mrs. Robinson was a commanding presence and a shining light at the White House while President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were in office. In profile, she was a giant in spirit, strength, class and elegance, and we were blessed with the honor of meeting and speaking with her at the White House over the past few years. She was kind and smart she was incredibly proud of her children Craig Robinson, Michelle, her in-laws as well as her grandchildren Cookie and I send our thoughts and prayers to Craig and Michelle, the entire Robinson and Obama family, friends and all Dear. she will be missed!”

Billie Jean King

“We send our deepest condolences to the Obama family today after their passing Marian Robinsonthe mother of the Former First Lady.

“I had the privilege of spending one-on-one time with her at the Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the US Open in 2013.

– Rest in peace.

Senator Chuck Schumer, New York

“What an incredible woman. What an incredible life. We mourn his death Marian Robinson. We are praying for her, for @MichelleObama, for Obama and Robinson, and for their entire family.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota

“Sending love to Michelle Obama and her entire family as I mourn the loss of her mother Marian Robinson. She was an extraordinary woman who gave unconditional love to her family and was truly one of a kind.”

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan

“My heart goes out to Michelle Obama and her family as we mourn the loss of her mother. Marian Robinson. Marian’s strength, kindness and devotion are qualities we should all strive to embody. Her memory will continue to inspire us.”

Rep. Dr. Robin Kelly, Chicago, IL

“Deepest condolences to the Obama and Robinson families on their passing Marian Robinson.

@BarackObama, “There was and will be only one Marian Robinson. In our sadness, we are uplifted by the extraordinary gift of her life.’

#RestInPowerMarianRobinson”