Marian Robinson, the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, passed away at the age of 86, according to a family statement released to NBC News. She died peacefully in the morning, leaving her family with deep sorrow.

Robinson became a national figure during Barack Obama’s presidency when she moved from Chicago to Washington, D.C., to help care for her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha, in the White House.

Though she stayed out of the spotlight, Robinson was a constant and comforting presence during the Obama administration. She attended concerts, holiday gatherings, and occasionally traveled with the family, but mostly devoted herself to her granddaughters.

Robinson had lived her entire life in Chicago before moving to Washington in 2009. Her decision to leave was influenced by concern for her daughter’s and grandchildren’s well-being, saying she felt their lives were going to be very difficult.

In a CBS interview, she shared that she agreed to the move after a “healthy nudge” from her family. She quickly became an emotional anchor in the White House for both her grandchildren and the Obama family.

The family described her as someone who loved being a grandmother. While she enforced house rules, she often sided with her granddaughters and thought their parents were too strict.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden issued a statement expressing their condolences. They remembered Robinson as a devoted and loving mother and grandmother whose kindness touched those around her.

Born in 1937 on the South Side of Chicago, Robinson raised two children, Michelle and Craig. Her husband, Fraser Robinson, passed away from multiple sclerosis in 1991.

Barack Obama described her as “the least pretentious person” he had ever met. She preferred the quiet of her room, overlooking the Washington Monument, and only ever asked to meet one White House guest—the Pope.

Robinson played a key role in keeping her granddaughters grounded during their years in the White House. Michelle Obama credited her with shaping her confidence and values.

Just weeks before her passing, Michelle honored her mother on Mother’s Day by announcing that an exhibit at the Obama Presidential Center Museum would be named after her. The family said, “There was and will be only one Marian Robinson,” vowing to follow her example forever.