“May She Rest in Peace”: John Legend Pays Tribute to Late Grandmother in Heartfelt Post

On Feb. 2, John Legend shared the heartbreaking news that his grandmother Marjorie passed away Tuesday morning at 91 years old. “My beautiful grandmother, Marjorie Maxine Stephens, left this world early this morning, just a few days after her 91st birthday,” John captioned an Instagram post, which included a carousel of some of their photos together over the years. “We are so grateful for the life she lived, for the love she shared with her many children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and beyond. She was the most caring and conscientious grandmother you could imagine.”

To honor her memory, John took a moment to reflect on the “full, blessed life she lived” and share a few of the ways in which Marjorie brought joy and happiness to the Stephens family. “She still sent us all birthday cards with cash until her final days,” he said. “She hosted our yearly Christmas celebrations until we literally couldn’t fit in her little pink house on Heard Avenue in Springfield, Ohio. She was active and full of curiosity and energy until her final days. She always had a story to tell and words of encouragement and love. She supported us and rooted for us unconditionally. I’m so glad she got to see the fruits of all she gave us. She got to travel the world with us, went to my first Grammys. She got to experience the successes of all her offspring.”

John’s post also included a photo of his grandmother holding baby Luna — who knew Marjorie as “Granny” — just one month after she was born. “We are the family we are, the individuals we are because of the love she poured into us,” John said, taking pride in having had such a wonderful grandmother in his life. “We are sad to lose her but most of all so appreciative of the full, blessed life she lived. May she Rest In Peace after running a great race.”