Profile of Madelyn Payne Dunham, Barack Obama's Grandmother

Sandwiched between her responsibilities as wife, mother, and breadwinner, Dunham attended college, first at the University of Washington, and later at the University of California at Berkeley. However, she never earned a college degree - a fact she regretted despite significant professional achievements later in life.

After arriving on Oahu, Dunham joined the Bank of Hawaii in 1960, starting in the escrow department. By 1962, she was promoted to manager. She blazed a trail for other women in banking throughout the 1960s and in December 1970 she achieved a significant first, becoming one of the bank's first two female vice presidents.

Management trainees often felt intimidated by her tough, no-nonsense 'drill seargeant' reputation. But those who got to know her saw a warm nurturing side and a soft-heartedness.

US Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, who worked for Dunham as a temporary employee right after college, said, "She reinforced in me this idea that you can do a lot of things as a woman if you are focused."

Dunham retired as the head of the bank's escrow department in 1986.

In addition to overcoming sexism in a male-dominated workplace, Dunham struggled against a type of racism unheard of on the mainland - she was discriminated against as a member of Hawaii's white minority community.

After her retirement, Dunham became involved in community service, working for nonprofit groups, the public library, and the Circuit Court, where she served as court mediator.

Her husband Stanley passed away on February 8, 1992. When Ann was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1995, she returned to Honolulu where Dunham cared for her daughter in the final months of her life. Ann died on November 7, 1995 at age 52.

_Sources:

Cannon, Scott. "Obama seeks foothold in America's heartland." Kansas City Star at McClatchydc.com, 29 January 2008.
Jones, Tim. "Obama's mom: Not just a girl from Kansas." Chicago Tribune, 27 March 2007.
Nakaso, Dan. "Family precedent: Obama's grandmother blazed trails." USAToday.com, 8 April 2008.
Nakaso, Dan. "Obama's tutu a female pioneer in Hawaii banking." The Honolulu Advertiser, 20 October 2008.
Powell, Kimberly. "Ancestry of Barack Obama - Fourth Generation." About.com, retrieved 22 October 2008.
"Profile: Madelyn Dunham" BBC News, 21 October 2008.
Scott, Janny. "A Free-Spirited Wanderer Who Set Obama’s Path." NewYorkTimes.com, 14 March 2008.
"Source: Cancer Returns For Obama's Grandmother" KITV.com, 21 October 2008.

Updated October 22, 2008