WASHINGTON — A 113-year-old D.C. resident who captured the hearts of many Americans after meeting the Obamas in 2016, when she was 106, and spontaneously breaking into dance died Monday, according to a post by family on her official Facebook page. Virginia McLaurin passed away after several days in hospice care.
"She lived an incredibly full life and appreciated all the love she received from people on this Facebook page and everywhere she went," the family wrote on a page created in 2014, with more than 4,500 followers.
McLaurin was born in Cheraw, South Carolina in 1909, and moved to D.C. in 1939, according to the Council of the District of Columbia. One of D.C.'s most famous centenarians lived in the Petworth neighborhood in Ward 4.
"Ms. Virginia will forever be remembered for her passion for service and infectious joy," Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George wrote in a Facebook tribute post. "She was a beloved Ward 4 community member, a tireless DC schools volunteer, a fearless tenant leader, a tutor and mentor, and a devoted foster grandparent."
For two and half decades, McLaurin spent 40 hours of her precious time volunteering in classrooms working with students at the District of Columbia Public School and District of Columbia Charter School.
McLaurin not only touched the heart of those in her own community, but also well known leaders, including Mayor Muriel Bowser and Barack and Michelle Obama.
For her 110th birthday in 2019, one of McLaurin's wishes was granted when she had the opportunity to meet Bowser. The mayor and then-Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd held a birthday ceremony for McLaurin with a large cake, balloons and a room filled with excited family and friends. People across the country - including the Obamas - regularly sent her birthday cards.
McLaurin had stayed in touch with the president and first lady since meeting them in 2016 at the White House, shortly before her 107th birthday, during a Black History Month celebration. When McLaurin met the barrier-breaking couple, McLaurin broke into a spontaneous dance.
"I can die smiling now," she said in a video.
She also had the opportunity to hang out with the Harlem Globetrotters on her 109th birthday, showing off her basketball skills at Capital One Arena, and her 107th with the Washington Nationals, dancing on the field in her own jersey.
McLaurin's family has set up a GoFundMe for community members to help with the cost of the funeral and burial arrangements.
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