Obama Attends Memorial Service For Grandmother

HONOLULU — President-elect Barack Obama gathered with family and friends on Tuesday for a private memorial service for the beloved grandmother who helped raise him.

Madelyn Payne Dunham, known to her friends as "Toot", died Nov. 2, two days before Obama won election to become the nation's first African-American president. She was 86.

Obama did not speak to reporters at the small home that had been converted into the First Unitarian Church in the neighborhood of Nuuanu. Aides said Obama's half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, and her husband, Konrad Ng, also were present.

Following the ceremony, Obama drove to cliffs east of Hononulu. He and about 20 members of his family climbed over a stone wall and down onto rocky ledges to scatter Dunham's ashes at Lanai Lookout.

Obama earlier this year left flowers at the same cliffs, in memory of his mother.

Comments

[BrainDart]

A testament to the power of genuine love and respect for a child. We see it in who Barack Obama has become, and in the respectful, playful and loving relationship he has with his children.

[bayside]

You did good Toot..

[coot]

yes she did.

[mcantwell]

What a beautiful ceremony it must have been. God Bless you Toot!

[larry278]

No drama Obama's memorial to Toot was fitting. BHO has started a new American way of mourning in a quiet, dignified way. That is the style which Toot taught him.

[JayJonson]

Thank you, Mrs. Dunham, for raising such a fine grandson.

[Sparky123]

Now she belongs to the ages!

[datone]

Mrs. Dunham, God bless you and be with you on your latest journey. Our eternal thanks for leaving such legacy behind. This nation salutes you and your grandson and family. Thanks,

[marymansour]

What a lovely way to say goodbye to his grandmother.

[bwilder]

God Bless Us, every one.

[CharlesJ]

As Obama honors the memory of one of the very two important women that shaped who he has become, it is my sincere desire that TOOT is able to reach out and slap the MSM severely about their heads. I am so disgusted at them for their continued attemp to slam, smear and demean Obama and his transition team over this Govenor Blov .... (what ever).
As Obama and his team garner the highest rating/poll number in history, while Obama holds the highest numbers in history as to popularity, they continue to find dirt and cull the numbers he has justly earned as a uniter, NOT that divider of the past political spectrum. Listening to the MSM of CNN, MSNBC, FOX in an attempt to gather an over all honest perspective of the days events, they still tend to attempt to brush Obama and his team with that grey haze of doubt and deception on the part of the Obama team. They should be ashamed. If they spent more time honestly reporting, they would find there are better stories such as the complete mismanagement of the current TARP expenditures, where they could honestly put faces, names and companies on a black list of who not to trust and do business with. Yet they choose to follow after a story that we personally could care less about all for the sake of their idiotic ratings. Personally the MSM needs adult supervision and they need to grow up.

[NotMcCain]

You're so right. The broadcast MSM in this country is a disgrace with their continuing efforts to smear this honest and intelligent public servant.

Thank you, Mrs. Dunham, for your key part raising and nurturing the 44th President of the United States. I believe he will be one of the greatest we've ever had.

Your story, too, will be part of our history books now.

[lafrance]

Charles, agreed. It's a pity our media has devolved into what they have. It's also a pity that while they gave Bush a total pass, ignored his crimes and excused his behavior for 8 years, they feel it is their duty to tarnish and trash our PE Obama because of their failures during the Bush years and because Obama is popular and a democrat.
We can look forward to 4 years of the press insinuating and printing gossip as fact and trying to take this PE down into the sewer with them.
They should have done this during the last 8 years instead of rolling over and they are still doing it with Bush while looking to throw mud on the new administration.
And when not throwing mud and looking for gossip they will just sit and criticize every move and word coming from the Obama administration.

[protagonia]

The MSM is an enemy to the working families in America.

They are deserved of the ridicule they routinely receive now. Some are complicit in terrible crimes. FOX, and CNN are right wing instruments, posing to be otherwise.

[roshni]

Obama has the love and support of his followers who know who he really is. It is no wonder MSM is getting less and less popular.
Obama is no Bush. We will not stand idly by and watch him being disrespected. We will not participate in innuendo and smears.

[mnash]

Who cares if he is white/black or green, this is Christmas. Let's show compassion and caring to each other. Don't we have enought problems in this world without arguing about something and someone who brought us our next President of the United States?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!!!

[marymansour]

And back to you, mnash.

[rabiddog6708]

Very sad to have his grandmother pass way.....an­d to have it happen just 2 days before he won the Presidential Election merely compounds it.

[jpshotwheels]

That is what is sad, she didn't get to see it, but maybe she watching over the election to make sure he won it. Thats what I think. She was in heaven looking down to make sure the Republicans wouldn't steal this one. Thank you.

Obama is going to be blessing upon this Country and around the World. He cares, he won't forget his roots, and that what I like about him.

[BushBites]

Don't tell the Mormons.

She's prime recruiting material now.

[MrsPeel]

LMAO. Thanks.

[Mayoyo]

You raised a fine Grandson..­.and America will be better because of that....Th­ank you

[hillaryj]

God Speed, Special Lady......­..........­....