Hawaii Friends Remember Mr. Obama's Grandmother, Madelyn Dunham

At Punchbowl yesterday, a framed photo of Dunham was draped with a maile lei with pikake; next to it stood a proclamation issued by state lawmakers. Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng sent a statement read by Al Landon, Bank of Hawaii chief executive officer.

"When Tutu found out that she had little time remaining, she insisted that we dispense with excessive solemnity or sorrow," Landon said, reading from the statement. "She was not afraid of any storm and withstood many in her 86 years. We feel fortunate to have had so much time with our Tutu. She spent more time raising us than did most grandmothers and we benefited from her closeness; we are stronger and wiser because of her."