Marian Robinson, mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, has died at age 86, the family announced Friday. She passed away peacefully in the morning, according to a statement.<\/p>\n
Michelle Obama shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, calling her mother \u201cmy rock.\u201d She wrote: \u201cShe was there for whatever I needed\u2014the same steady support for our whole family. We\u2019re heartbroken to lose her today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former President Barack Obama also honored his mother-in-law online, calling her one-of-a-kind. \u201cWe feel lucky to have had her in our lives,\u201d he posted. \u201cWe\u2019ll spend our years trying to live by her example.\u201d<\/p>\n
Born Marian Shields in 1937, she married Fraser Robinson III, a Chicago water department worker and WWII veteran. The couple raised Michelle and her brother Craig in a modest South Side home.<\/p>\n
Despite facing racial barriers\u2014her father was denied union jobs due to segregation\u2014Marian stressed education and strength to her children. These values helped shape Michelle\u2019s path to Princeton and beyond.<\/p>\n
During Barack Obama\u2019s presidency, Marian moved into the White House to help care for granddaughters Malia and Sasha. She provided normalcy for the girls during their extraordinary childhood.<\/p>\n
Though quiet in public, family say Marian was the Obama\u2019s \u201csecret weapon\u201d\u2014offering wisdom, home-cooked meals, and unconditional love through historic challenges.<\/p>\n
After the presidency, Marian returned to Chicago, enjoying a private life away from cameras. Her health had declined in recent years.<\/p>\n
The Obamas have asked for privacy as they grieve. No funeral details have been shared yet.<\/p>\n
Marian leaves behind a legacy as the humble matriarch who helped raise America\u2019s first Black first family\u2014proving that behind every great woman, there\u2019s often an even greater mother.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"