Madelyn Dunham

Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham (October 26, 1922 – November 2, 2008) was an American banker known for her career at the Bank of Hawaii and for being the maternal grandmother of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. She and her husband, Stanley Armour Dunham, raised Barack Obama from the age of ten in their Honolulu residence.

**Early Life**

Born Madelyn Lee Payne in Peru, Kansas, on October 26, 1922, she was the eldest of four children of Rolla Charles "R.C." Payne and Leona Belle (McCurry) Payne. Her family moved to Augusta, Kansas, when she was three years old. She was an honor roll student and graduated from Augusta High School in 1940. During her youth, she expressed an interest in attending big band concerts in Wichita, Kansas. She married Stanley Dunham on May 5, 1940, in Wichita, on the night of her senior prom.

**Adult Life**

During World War II, Dunham worked the night shift on a Boeing B-29 assembly line in Wichita. Her husband, Stanley Dunham, enlisted in the Army during this period. Their family grew with the birth of their daughter, Stanley Ann Dunham, later known as Ann Dunham, born at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita on November 29, 1942. Her brother, Charlie Payne, served in the 89th Infantry Division, which participated in the liberation of the Ohrdruf concentration camp.

Post-war, the Dunham family relocated multiple times to various locations, including Berkeley, California; Ponca City, Oklahoma; Vernon, Texas; El Dorado, Kansas; and Seattle, Washington. In Seattle, Dunham worked in restaurants and her husband managed furniture stores. She eventually became vice president of a local bank. During this period, Mercer Island, Washington, was characterized as a rural area with a conservative, predominantly white population. Dunham attended the University of Washington but did not complete a degree.

**Hawaii and Later Career**

The Dunham family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1960. Madelyn Dunham joined the Bank of Hawaii that year and was promoted to vice president in 1970, becoming one of the bank's first female vice presidents. Her husband managed a furniture store during this time. Both Dunham and her husband faced and routinely encountered discrimination in Honolulu society.

Their daughter, Ann Dunham, attended the University of Hawaii, where she met Barack Obama Sr., a graduate student from Kenya, in 1960. The marriage between Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr. took place in 1961, despite initial opposition from Dunham and her husband, partly due to concerns about racial and cultural differences. Barack Obama was born in 1961 to Ann and Obama Sr. and later divorced in 1963. Ann Dunham remarried Lolo Soetoro and lived in Indonesia for some time.

Madelyn and Stanley Dunham raised their grandson, Barack Obama, from age ten while his mother was residing in Jakarta. Rather than attend local schools, Obama was enrolled at Punahou School in Honolulu on scholarship. When his mother returned to Indonesia, Obama remained with his grandparents and referred to Dunham as "Toot," a Hawaiian term for grandmother.

Throughout her life, Dunham was recognized by colleagues as a “tough boss” who valued hard work and was regarded for her practicality and straightforwardness. She retired from the Bank of Hawaii in 1986. Obama described her as "quiet yet firm" and credited her with instilling values of prudence and hard work.

**Later Years and Death**

Madelyn Dunham remained in her Honolulu apartment until her death. She was an avid bridge player and spent her time listening to audiobooks and watching television. She developed severe osteoporosis and underwent surgeries in 2008, including corneal transplants and hip replacements.

**2008 Presidential Campaign and Public Perception**

In 2008, during Barack Obama's presidential campaign, Dunham was infrequently seen publicly. In March 2008, she expressed that she was in poor health and declined interviews. Obama publicly acknowledged her importance in his life, particularly in his speeches related to race and family background. His remarks referencing his grandmother drew media attention and prompted explanations from Obama regarding her views on race and culture.

Members of her community and colleagues denied allegations of racial prejudice, and her brother Charlie Payne affirmed her respectful attitude towards individuals of diverse backgrounds.