Kris Jenner announces death of mother Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon at 91
The Kardashian-Jenner matriarch shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, calling her mother 'the heart of our family'.
The announcement
Kris Jenner, the 70-year-old matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner family, announced on Instagram on Thursday, July 16, that her mother, Mary Jo "MJ" Shannon, had died at the age of 91. No cause of death was immediately provided. Shannon was just days away from her 92nd birthday, which would have fallen on July 26, according to The Independent and Le Parisien.
Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ. There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye.
Jenner's post, shared with her more than 50 million Instagram followers, described her mother as "the heart of our family" and reflected on the values Shannon instilled in her.
A familiar face on reality TV
Shannon became a beloved figure to audiences through her regular appearances on the family's long-running reality series. She featured on E!'s Keeping Up with the Kardashians throughout its 20-season run from 2007 to 2021, and later on Hulu's The Kardashians. Rolling Stone noted that she served as "a gentle voice of reason and comfort," with her granddaughters often speaking of their admiration for her.
She was grandmother to Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner. As of Thursday evening, the grandchildren had not yet shared their own public tributes, according to Rolling Stone.
Life before the spotlight
Born Mary Jo Campbell on July 26, 1934, in Arkansas, Shannon was an established businesswoman long before her family became a pop-culture phenomenon. In 1980, she founded the children's boutique Shannon & Co. in San Diego. The Irish Examiner reported that she once shared memories of a young Kim Kardashian playing in the shop and showing an early interest in the family business.
Shannon's first marriage, to Robert True Houghton, ended in divorce when Kris Jenner was seven years old. She later married businessman Harry Shannon, and the couple remained together for 40 years until his death in a car crash in 2003.
A mother's tribute
Jenner's Instagram caption ran to several paragraphs, thanking her mother for "every sacrifice you made, every piece of wisdom you shared, and every moment you loved us so completely."
She taught me everything that truly matters... to love your family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people you love, and to never take a single moment together for granted.
Jenner wrote that she would miss their daily talks, her mother's smile and laughter, and that she found comfort in knowing "love like yours never truly leaves us." She added that when she looks at her own children and grandchildren, she will "forever see pieces of you in all of us."
My heart is broken into a million pieces... thank you for giving me the greatest childhood and oh what a beautiful blessed life... I love you forever Mommy.
Jenner concluded by stating that her mother's legacy would live on in the family's traditions and in every life Shannon touched.
