Parents of Presidents who lived to see their children's presidencies

[Calthrina950]

This is a very interesting list, and includes some presidential parents that I wasn't previously aware of. Two Presidents (John Adams and George H.W. Bush), not only have their own mothers on the list, but are themselves on the list as parents, considering their own sons who became Presidents (John Quincy Adams and George W. Bush). Eliza Garfield, Joseph Kennedy Sr., and Rose Kennedy outlived their children due to their assassinations; George Harding's son, Warren G. Harding, died in office. Jane Polk's son, James Polk, died only three months after leaving office.

Rose Kennedy, to my knowledge, also has the distinction of being the longest-lived presidential parent, dying at age 104 in 1995. To date, she is the only presidential parent who has lived to become a centenarian. Nelly Madison, James Madison's mother, is the second longest-lived presidential parent; she was 98 when she died in 1829.

[Calthrina950]

Another stat: There has only been one grandparent who lived to see her grandchild's presidency. JFK's grandmother, who died in 1964.

Obama's maternal grandmother was of course very close to doing this as well, dying only days before the 2008 election.

She outlived him.

JFK's maternal grandmother-Mary Josephine Hannon-was aged 98 when she died in 1964, living as long as James Madison's mother, Nelly Madison (who I noted above). Her daughter obviously inherited her longevity, and actually lived longer than her, as the only presidential parent to become a centenarian.

[Calthrina950]

Biden's mother actually saw his first year as VP and died in 2010.

Kamala Harris' dad is still alive, but her mother died in 2009. But as far as I know, she has a more distant relationship with her father.

A few weeks ago, I watched NBC News' 2008 Election Night coverage, and I caught a glimpse of Biden's mother (Catherine Jean Biden) on the stage in Chicago, where Obama delivered his victory speech. The Bidens and other members of the Obama family came out on stage after Obama had delivered his speech. Ironically, it was her grandson Hunter-who's been the focus of so much attention over the past few years-who escorted her onto the stage. She was 92 when she died in 2010.

[Calthrina950]

Biden's mother actually saw his first year as VP and died in 2010.

Kamala Harris' dad is still alive, but her mother died in 2009. But as far as I know, she has a more distant relationship with her father.

A few weeks ago, I watched NBC News' 2008 Election Night coverage, and I caught a glimpse of Biden's mother (Catherine Jean Biden) on the stage in Chicago, where Obama delivered his victory speech. The Bidens and other members of the Obama family came out on stage after Obama had delivered his speech. Ironically, it was her grandson Hunter-who's been the focus of so much attention over the past few years-who escorted her onto the stage. She was 92 when she died in 2010.

That’s surprising. McCain’s mother outlived him.

Surprising in what way? That Biden's mother lived to see her son become Vice-President? But you're right about McCain's mother, who just died last year at age 108 (although McCain obviously never became President). She is the most recent parent of a presidential nominee to have died, however.

[Calthrina950]

Franklin Roosevelt's mother died exactly three months before Pearl Harbor, while George H.W. Bush's mother died sixteen days after her son lost reelection. H.W. and Barbara Bush, of course, both died in 2018, making them the first set of presidential parents to die in the same year.