Madelyn Dunham

Madelyn Dunham
Born	Madelyn Lee Payne (1922-10-26) 26 October 1922 Peru, Kansas, U.S.
Died	2 November 2008(2008-11-02) (aged 86) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Occupation	Banking professional
Known for	Maternal grandmother of Barack Obama; first female vice president at Bank of Hawaii

Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham ( ; October 26, 1922 – November 2, 2008) was an American banking professional and the maternal grandmother of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. Alongside her husband, Stanley Armour Dunham, she cared for Obama beginning at age ten in their Honolulu residence. She passed away just two days before her grandson's historic presidential election victory.

Early life

Born Madelyn Lee Payne on October 26, 1922, in Peru, Kansas, she was the firstborn among four siblings of Rolla Charles "R.C." Payne and Leona Belle (McCurry) Payne. In his memoir, Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama recalls his great-grandparents as strict Methodist individuals who disapproved of drinking, card playing, and dancing. At the age of three, Madelyn relocated with her family to Augusta, Kansas. A dedicated student who made the honor roll, she completed her studies at Augusta High School in 1940. Despite a conservative upbringing, she enjoyed attending big band performances in Wichita. It was there that she met Stanley Dunham from El Dorado, Kansas, and they wed on May 5, 1940—the same evening as Madelyn’s senior prom.

World War II

Throughout World War II, Madelyn worked night shifts assembling Boeing B-29 bombers in Wichita, while Stanley served in the Army. Her brother, Charlie Payne, was a member of the 89th Infantry Division, which played a role in liberating the Nazi concentration camp at Ohrdruf, a subcamp of Buchenwald—an event Barack Obama has mentioned in public addresses. Madelyn gave birth to their sole child, daughter Ann, on November 29, 1942, at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.

Post-World War II

The family relocated multiple times due to work commitments, living in Berkeley, California, Ponca City, Oklahoma, Vernon, Texas, El Dorado, Kansas, and finally settling in Seattle, Washington before moving to Mercer Island, Washington. Ann completed her education at Mercer Island High School. During their time in El Dorado, Madelyn held various restaurant jobs while Stanley managed a furniture store; later in Seattle, she advanced to vice president of a local bank as Stanley worked for Standard-Grunbaum Furniture. Mercer Island was known then for its quiet atmosphere and conservative political leanings. The couple attended East Shore Unitarian Church located in Bellevue. Madelyn also enrolled at the University of Washington but did not earn a degree.

Hawaii

Eventually relocating to Honolulu, Hawaii, Madelyn began employment at the Bank of Hawaii in 1960 and rose to become one of its earliest female vice presidents by the following decade. Meanwhile, Stanley continued working in the furniture industry. During this era in Honolulu, women and minority white employees often faced workplace discrimination.

Ann Dunham attended the University of Hawaii where she met Kenyan graduate student Barack Obama Sr. in 1960. Despite initial resistance from Obama Sr.'s family—particularly his father—the couple married in 1961 and welcomed their son, Barack Obama, that same year. After divorcing in 1963, Ann remarried Indonesian Lolo Soetoro.

From age ten onward, Barack Obama was raised by Madelyn and Stanley while his mother and stepfather resided in Jakarta. This arrangement allowed him to attend Punahou School on scholarship—a prestigious institution in Hawaii. Ann pursued graduate studies but returned to Indonesia for research assignments, leaving Obama under his grandparents’ care. He described their relationship as an "unspoken pact" emphasizing independence.

Obama and his half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, affectionately called Madelyn "Toot," meaning grandmother in Hawaiian. He characterized her as "quiet yet firm," a contrast to his grandfather’s more exuberant nature. Recognized as a pioneer—the first woman vice president at her bank—she was remembered by colleagues as a demanding leader who valued diligence. She retired from the Bank of Hawaii in 1986.

In interviews, Obama credited Madelyn with imparting a "Midwestern traditional sense of prudence and hard work," describing her as "tough, sensible, no-nonsense." Although she never completed college herself, he regarded her as one of the smartest individuals he had known and attributed his own practical mindset to her influence. One vivid image he shared was of her returning home from work to change out of business clothes into a muumuu dress and slippers while enjoying a drink and cigarette.

Later years

Before her passing in 1995 at the age of 52, Ann Dunham was cared for by her mother, Madelyn Dunham, in Hawaii.

Madelyn remained in the modest high-rise apartment where she had raised her grandson, Barack Obama, until her own death. A passionate bridge enthusiast, she spent much of her time at home, "listening to audiobooks and following her grandson’s appearances on CNN daily." In 2008, Dunham faced serious health challenges including advanced osteoporosis and underwent both a corneal transplant and hip replacement surgery.

2008 presidential campaign

During the 2008 presidential race, Madelyn Dunham maintained a low profile. At 85 years old in March 2008, she stated, "I am not giving any interviews...I am in poor health."

On March 18, 2008, amid discussions about race sparked by controversy surrounding Obama’s pastor Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama spoke of his grandmother as someone who "helped raise me" and "made many sacrifices," but also revealed that she had "once admitted a fear of black men" and occasionally expressed racial stereotypes that embarrassed him.

In a radio interview on March 20, Obama clarified that his grandmother did not hold racial hatred but reflected "common" societal attitudes ingrained among many white Americans. His use of the term "typical white person" drew media scrutiny and debate. Obama later elaborated that such fears are culturally conditioned and can exist even within families as diverse as his own.

Those who knew Dunham personally, including Hawaii State Senator Sam Slom, refuted claims that she voiced racial bias. Her brother Charlie Payne described the campaign’s focus on her as merely "raising some eyebrows."

In April 2008, Dunham made a brief appearance in a campaign advertisement highlighting Obama's broad perspective and depth.

On September 10, 2008, during an interview on the Late Show with David Letterman, Obama referred to his grandmother as "the rock of our family," noting her sharp mind despite severe osteoporosis which limited her ability to travel.

On October 20, 2008, following a serious decline in her health after a recent hospitalization, the Obama campaign announced a pause in events so he could spend time with her. In an October 23 interview, Obama called her "the foundation of the family," attributing his resilience and discipline to her influence.

Death

Madelyn Dunham passed away peacefully at her home on November 2, 2008, aged 86. The campaign confirmed she died after battling cancer in Hawaii. Both Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro described her as "the cornerstone of our family and a woman of extraordinary achievement, strength, and humility." At a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 3, Obama honored her as "one of those quiet heroes... who work hard every day without seeking attention." Her absentee ballot submitted on October 27 was included in Hawaii’s vote count. On December 23, 2008, following a private memorial service at Honolulu’s First Unitarian Church, then President-elect Obama and his sister scattered her ashes at Lanai Lookout—the same location where their mother’s ashes were spread in 1995.

Ancestry

Madelyn Payne Dunham’s lineage is chiefly English with smaller contributions from Scottish, Welsh, Irish, and German ancestors dating back to early American colonial settlers. Her most recent European forebear was great-great-grandfather Robert Perry from Anglesey, Wales; his family relocated to Ohio in the early nineteenth century. Family oral history suggests that Dunham’s mother may have had some Cherokee heritage; however, no definitive proof had been found as of 2008.

External links

• "Honoring Madelyn Dunham" Honolulu Advertiser, November 15, 2008, including a photo collection and tribute video