And just as her father's memory stays with her in all that she does, Michelle's mother has often been by her side for all of her defining life moments. Marian was a frequent White House event guest, and Barack Obama grew close to her as well. For her birthday in 2019, he wrote a lengthy Facebook post in her honour. "Over the years, you've probably seen Michelle's mom, Marian Robinson, in photos with our family at inaugurations, Christmas tree lightings, Easter Egg Rolls, and a whole lot more," he wrote. "But what you haven't seen is the way she's been there for us every day—not just for Michelle and our daughters, but for me, too. I've always appreciated her steadiness, her perspective, and the way a wisecrack from her reverberates around the room."