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

Condolences, tributes and well-wishes are pouring in for the Obama household after the breaking information of the loss of life of former first girl Michelle Obama’s mom.

On Friday, Marian Robinson, who was born in Chicago in 1937, handed away peacefully on the ripe age of 86.

RELATED NEWS: Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mom, passes away at 86

Michelle Obama

“My mother Marian Robinson was my rock, all the time there for no matter I wanted. She was the identical regular backstop for our total household,” Michelle wrote on X as she shared the hyperlink to an extended tribute written by herself, former President Barack Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha and a number of other different relations.

The Obama Household

“Marian Lois Shields Robinson — our mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother — had a method of summing up the truths about life in a phrase or two, possibly a fast phrase that made everybody round her cease and suppose. Her knowledge got here off as virtually innate, as one thing she was born with, however in actuality it was hard-earned, customary by her deep understanding that the world’s roughest edges may all the time be sanded down with a bit of grace.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff.

“Know what’s actually treasured.

“As a dad or mum, you’re not elevating infants — you’re elevating little individuals.

“Don’t fear about whether or not anyone else likes you. Come dwelling. We’ll all the time such as you right here.

“She grew up one in every of seven youngsters on the red-lined South Facet of Chicago, the daughter of Purnell Shields and Rebecca Jumper. When she was a teen, her dad and mom separated and her mom supported herself as a nursing aide. Her father, due to the colour of his pores and skin, wasn’t allowed to affix a union or work for bigger building companies, and he grew mistrustful of a world that appeared to have little place for him. But many mornings, he would wake the children up at dawn by blasting jazz information as an alarm clock. She discovered early that even within the face of hardship, there was music to be discovered.

“As a younger girl, she studied to turn out to be a trainer earlier than working as a secretary. She fell shortly and head over heels in love with Fraser Robinson, one other South-Sider with a boxer’s energy and jazz-lover’s cool. Collectively, they raised two youngsters, Craig and Michelle, in a tiny upstairs condo on Euclid Avenue in South Shore.

“She volunteered for the PTA and taught her youngsters to learn at an early age, sitting collectively as they sounded out phrases on a web page, giving them the energy and confidence to stroll to highschool — and out into the world — all on their very own. She as soon as chewed out a police officer who had accused Craig of stealing a motorbike, demanding that the grownup apologize to her son. On summer season nights, she’d pack the household into the automobile with a steaming plate of hen for a visit to the drive-in films. On New 12 months’s Eve, she’d go round pigs in a blanket and lift a toast to Auld Lang Syne. And each evening, for years on finish, she and Fraser would maintain court docket on the dinner desk, the place they indulged all method of questioning, educating their youngsters to consider within the energy and price of their very own voices.

“When Craig determined to go away a profitable finance job to pursue his dream of teaching basketball, she was there together with her wholehearted help. When Michelle married a man loopy sufficient to enter politics, she was simply as encouraging. At each step, as our households went down paths none of us may have predicted, she remained our refuge from the storm, conserving our toes on strong floor. On Election Night time in 2008, when the information broke that Barack would quickly shoulder the load of the world, she was there, holding his hand.

“With a wholesome nudge, she agreed to maneuver to the White Home with Michelle and Barack. We would have liked her. The women wanted her. And she or he ended up being our rock by way of all of it. She relished her position as a grandmother to Malia and Sasha — simply as she doted on Avery, Leslie, Austin, and Aaron. Much less encumbered by the obligations of motherhood, she’d take pleasure in a bit of extra enjoyable and video games whereas conserving any hazard of spoiling her grandchildren safely at bay. And though she enforced no matter family guidelines we’d set for bedtime, watching TV, or consuming sweet, she made clear that she sided together with her ‘grandbabies’ in pondering that their dad and mom have been too darn strict.

“The trimmings and glamour of the White Home have been by no means an amazing match for Marian Robinson. “Simply present me how one can work the washer and I’m good,” she’d say. Somewhat than hobnobbing with Oscar winners or Nobel laureates, she most popular spending her time upstairs with a TV tray, within the room exterior her bed room with large home windows that regarded out on the Washington Monument. The one visitor she made a degree of asking to fulfill was the Pope. Over these eight years, she made nice mates with the ushers and butlers, the parents who make the White Home a house. She’d typically sneak exterior the gates to purchase greeting playing cards at CVS, and generally one other buyer would possibly acknowledge her. ‘You appear to be Michelle’s mom,’ they’d say. She’d smile and reply, ‘Oh, I get that rather a lot.’

Marian Robinson, the mom of First Woman Michelle Obama, waves in the course of the annual Easter egg roll April 25, 2011 on the South Garden of the White Home in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photograph credit score ought to learn MANDEL NGAN/AFP through Getty Photographs)

“After the White Home, she returned to Chicago, reconnecting with longtime mates, buying and selling wise-cracks, touring, and having fun with glass of wine. She handed peacefully this morning, and proper now, none of us are fairly positive how precisely we’ll transfer on with out her.

“As a mom, she was our backstop, a peaceful and nonjudgmental witness to our triumphs and stumbles. She was all the time, all the time there, welcoming us again dwelling regardless of how far we had journeyed, with that deep and abiding love.

“For Barack and Kelly, she was one of the best mother-in-law anybody may hope for. We’d tease her generally that she’d must cease pondering that she was “imposing” on us as a result of we all the time needed to see extra of her, not much less.

“As a grandmother, at each stage of their lives, from infancy by way of maturity, she stood secondary watch over her grandchildren’s progress and improvement, inspiring them, listening to them, telling them she was pleased with them, making them really feel cherished, like they have been exceptional in each method.

“And as a sister, aunt, cousin, neighbor, and buddy to so many, she was beloved past phrases by numerous others whose lives have been improved by her presence.

“We are going to all miss her drastically, and we want she have been right here to supply us some perspective, to fix our heavy hearts with fun and a dose of her knowledge.

“But we’re comforted by the understanding that she has returned to the embrace of her loving Fraser, that she’s pulled up her TV tray subsequent to his recliner, that they’re clinking their highball glasses as she’s catching him up with the tales about this wild, stunning journey. She’s missed him so.

“‘The entire world is filled with little Craigs and little Michelles,’ she’d typically remind us, underlining the sweetness and potential inside each youngster.

“As all the time, she was proper. What can also be true — though she adamantly denied it — is that there was and will probably be just one Marian Robinson. In our disappointment, we’re lifted up by the extraordinary present of her life. And we’ll spend the remainder of ours making an attempt to stay as much as her instance.”

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

President Joe Biden and First Woman Jill Biden

“We knew Mrs. Marian Robinson as a faithful mom and grandmother with a fierce and unconditional love of her household. With the blessing of friendship, we felt that love ourselves – with each quiet smile or heat embrace she shared with us.

“She believed, like we do, that household is the start, center and finish. She moved into the White Home to be there for her household after they wanted her probably the most, and in so doing, she served her nation proper alongside them. Her life is a reminder that we’re an amazing nation as a result of we’re individuals.

“Your entire Biden household sends its deepest like to Michelle, Craig, Barack, Kelly, and the six irrepressible grandchildren whom she helped to lift and so cherished, and in whom her form and mild spirit lives on.

“Could she relaxation in peace together with her beloved Fraser.Could God bless Mrs. Marian Robinson.”

Marian Robinson, First Woman Michelle Obama’s mom, reads a e-book in the course of the annual White Home Easter Egg Roll on the South Garden of the White Home in Washington, DC, on April 13, 2009. Greater than 30,000 company will attend this yr’s occasions, which i

Dr. Bernice A. King

“My heartfelt condolences exit to First Woman Michelle Obama and her household on the passing of her beloved mom, Marian Robinson. My ideas and prayers are with you all throughout this troublesome time. Could you discover peace and energy in your cherished reminiscences.” 

— Bernice

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle

“Our ideas and prayers are with First Woman Michelle Obama and her total household throughout this troublesome time. We’re deeply saddened by the passing of her mom, Marian Robinson. Could they discover energy and luxury in one another and within the cherished reminiscences of Mrs. Robinson’s exceptional life.”

Rev. Al Sharpton

“Our hearts exit to the Robinson/Obama household as all of us mourn the lack of Marian Robinson. Mom Robinson was a exceptional girl who embodied energy, grace, and resilience. She was a real warrior, a supply of inspiration for us all.

“We’re grateful for her presence within the Robinson/Obama household and the influence she made as a loving mom and grandmother. Could her spirit proceed to information and uplift us. 

“Relaxation in energy, #MarianRobinson“

Magic Johnson

“Could you relaxation in peace the exceptional Marian Robinson, mom of First Woman Michelle Obama. Mrs. Robinson had a commanding presence and shining gentle within the White Home whereas President Barack Obama and First Woman Michelle Obama have been in workplace. Whereas light and low-profile, she was a large in spirit, drive, class and magnificence. Cookie and I have been blessed with the respect of assembly and talking together with her on the White Home a number of occasions over the previous few years. She was form and good and you could possibly inform she was extremely pleased with her youngsters Craig Robinson, Michelle, her in-laws, in addition to her grandchildren. Cookie and I ship our ideas and prayers to Craig and Michelle, all the Robinson and Obama households, mates, and all of her family members. She will probably be missed!”

Billie Jean King

“Sending our deepest condolences to the Obama household in the present day upon the passing of Marian Robinson, the Former First Woman’s mom.

“I had the privilege of spending some one-on-one time together with her on the U.S. Open’s Arthur Ashe Youngsters Day in 2013. 

“Could she relaxation in peace.”

Sen. Chuck Schumer, New York

“What an unbelievable girl. What an unbelievable life. We’re mourning the passing of Marian Robinson. We’re praying for her, for @MichelleObama, for the Obamas and the Robinsons, and for his or her complete household.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota

“Sending like to Michelle Obama and her total household as they mourn the lack of her mother Marian Robinson. She was a rare girl that gave unconditional like to her household and was actually one in every of a sort.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan

“My coronary heart goes out to Michelle Obama and her household as they mourn the lack of her mom, Marian Robinson. Marian’s energy, kindness, and devotion are qualities we should always all attempt to embody. Her reminiscence will proceed to encourage us.”

Rep. Dr. Robin Kelly, Chicago, IL

“My deepest condolences to the Obama and Robinson households on the passing of Marian Robinson.

@BarackObama, ‘There was and will probably be just one Marian Robinson. In our disappointment, we’re lifted by the extraordinary present of her life.’

#RestInPowerMarianRobinson”