María Michelsen de López

María Michelsen de López
First Lady of Colombia
In role
August 7, 1942  August 7, 1946
PresidentAlfonso López Pumarejo
Preceded byLorenza Villegas de Santos
Succeeded byBertha Hernández de Ospina
In role
August 7, 1934  August 7, 1938
PresidentAlfonso López Pumarejo
Preceded byMaría Teresa Londoño
Succeeded byLorenza Villegas de Santos
Personal details
Born
María Michelsen Lombana

(1890-02-17)February 17, 1890
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
DiedJanuary 22, 1949(1949-01-22) (aged 58)
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
Resting placeCentral Cemetery of Bogotá
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
(m. 1911)
Children
Parent(s)Carlos Michelsen Uribe (father)
Antonia Lombana Buendía (mother)

María Michelsen de López (née Michelsen Lombana; February 17, 1890 - January 22, 1949) was a Colombian scientist and philanthropist who served as first lady of Colombia from 1934 to 1938 and again from 1942 to 1945 as the wife of President Alfonso López Pumarejo. Maria is the first and only person to serve in this role for two non-consecutive terms.

Michelsen de López was the first First Lady to have a university degree. She also stood out for being the first person to be called First Lady. Defender of the rights of orphans, she was the co-founder of several shelters in Bogotá.