Michelle and Barack Obama lead tributes to her late mom: ‘There will only be one Marian Robinson’

Michelle and Barack Obama led a chorus of politicians and celebrities in paying tribute to her late mother, Marian Robinson.

Ms Robinson, known as the “first grandma” or “grandma in residence” during former president Obama’s time in office, died on Friday at the age of 86, according to a statement from her family.

“My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed,” wrote Michelle Obama on Friday evening. “She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today.”

Barack Obama also said: “There was and will be only one Marian Robinson. In our sadness, we are lifted up by the extraordinary gift of her life. And we will spend the rest of ours trying to live up to her example.”

A statement jointly posted on Medium by the Obamas and the Robinsons described how she had supported them through the turbulent years of his rise to power, and had taken some “nudging” to leave Chicago and move in with them when he became president.v

“The trappings and glamour of the White House were never a great fit for Marian Robinson,” the couple wrote. “’Just show me how to work the washing machine and I’m good,‘ she’d say.’”

Tennis champion star and LGBT+ pioneer Billie Jean King expressed her “deepest condolences”, recalling a happy time she had spent with Ms Robinson during the US Open tennis competition in 2013.

Comedian and TV host Loni Love also paid tribute, calling her “always classy, kind, and beautiful”, while Oscars diversity activist April Reign posted: “RIP”.

Viola Davis, the actress and film producer known for her starring roles in 2011's The Help and the ABC TV show How to Get Away With Murder, wrote on Instagram: “What a quiet, powerful force you were.

“Yo