Who Was Mary Jo Campbell? Kris Jenner’s Mother MJ Dies aged 91

Mary Jo, better known as MJ, is a familiar face for fans of the Kar-Jenner family. She appeared on the family’s reality TV shows several times over the years, ever since they catapulted to fame with 2007’s Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

As Kris posted her emotional tribute, the star’s friends were quick to share their love. Actor Melanie Griffith wrote, ‘Sending you so much love, Kris. So sorry for your loss. MJ is now with the angels. God Bless.’ TV host Ross Matthews added, ‘I’m sending you ALL my love. I’m here if you need ANYTHING. Even just to talk.’

With tributes pouring in, we’re taking a look at the MJ Campbell: the woman behind the Kardashian-Jenner empire.

Who is Mary Jo Campbell?

Mary Jo ‘MJ’ Campbell – better known as MJ – is best known as being the matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner family. Born 26 July, 1934, she passed away on Thursday 16th July 2026, just days shy of her 92nd birthday.

She’s the mother of Kris Jenner, 70, and Karen Houghton, who died in March 2024 aged 65 from a cardiac arrest.

MJ is grandmother to Kourtney, 47, Kim, 45, Khloe, 42, and Rob Kardashian, 39, as well as to Kendall, 30, and Kylie Jenner, 28. She’s also great-grandmother to Kourtney’s children Mason, 16, Penelope, 14, Reign, 11, and Rocky Thirteen, two, Kim’s children North, 13, Saint, 10, Chicago, eight, and Psalm, seven, Khloe’s children True, eight, and Tatum, three, Rob’s daughter Dream, nine, and Kylie’s children Stormi, eight, and Aire, four.

‘When I look at my kids and my grandkids, I will forever see pieces of you in all of us,’ Kris Jenner wrote in a tribute to her late mother. ‘There is not a part of me that isn’t shaped by you. And if I have done anything right in this world, it’s because I spent my life trying to live in a way that would make you proud.’

Over the years, MJ became a familiar face to fans of the reality TV family and grew her own fanbase thanks to her infamous one-liners and stellar advice. While the rest of the reality TV family weren’t afraid to splash the cash on private jets and designer goods, MJ was often seen teasing them about their extravagant lifestyle.

Her 90th birthday party was detailed during an episode of The Kardashians, where she revealed that her biggest accomplishment in life was her two daughters, Kris and Karen. ‘How wonderful life is when you’re in my world… That’s all of you,’ she shared.

At the birthday party, Kris also grew emotional when talking about the prospect of one day losing her mother, calling her ‘my best friend, and I couldn’t live without you.’

Who was MJ married to?

Just like her granddaughter Kim, MJ has been married three times.

According to PEOPLE, Arkansas-born MJ married her first husband, her high school sweetheart whose identity has remained anonymous, when she was 18 years old. It was a brief romance, with the couple separating after just two months.

It was something MJ was quoted on referencing when chatting to Kim, who was 19 years old when she eloped with music producer Damon Thomas in 2000. ‘We have so much in common. History repeats itself,’ she said. ‘I can’t believe it because I was married for two months at 18. Right out of high school I was given an engagement ring, a guy I had been going with for four years. And then I just thought, “You know what? This isn’t really that much fun.” So I got out of it.’

Not long after, MJ married her second husband, aircraft engineer Robert Houghton. The couple went on to welcome two daughters: Kris in 1955, and Karen in 1958. MJ and Robert went on to split after seven years of marriage, before Robert died in 1975 following a car crash in Mexico City.

MJ’s third and final marriage was to businessman Harry Shannon, who Kris lovingly referred to as her ‘dad’. The couple were together for almost four decades until 2003, when reports say he died following complications from a car crash.

What did MJ do? Her career explained

They’ve gone on to build a billion-dollar reality empire, but the Kar-Jenner family have often credited MJ with inspiring them to work hard. Unlike her daughter and granddaughters, MJ’s career didn’t involve reality TV. According to PEOPLE, she spent her early years working as a model, as well as an etiquette schoolteacher.

She also went on to open her own children’s clothing store. The boutique was called Shannon & Company, and first opened in 1980 in La Jolla, San Diego. It remained open for 45 years before closing down, with both Kris and Kim having worked there.

It was something Skims founder Kim had spoken about, once writing of her grandmother, ‘You were the woman who showed me what it means to be a hardworking businesswoman!’

Indeed, it seems MJ’s retail talents rubbed off on the rest of her family. Sisters Kourtney, Khloe and Kim previously had their own reality show, following the trio as they launched their clothing store Dash in Calabasas. Since then, they’ve branched out into several different clothing ventures – including Kim’s Skims and Khloe’s Good American denim line.

What has Kris said about MJ? Inside her health

The Kardashian family have not released any details on MJ’s cause of death.

During a March 2025 episode of The Kardashians, Kris grew emotional as she expressed her fears over watching her mother grow older. Saying she was ’90 and frail,’ Kris explained, ‘Ever since my sister passed away, she’s been super sad, like we all have, and I know that I need to be there for her. It just gets to the point in life where you can’t be by yourself anymore. It makes me sad.’

In the past, MJ overcame many health obstacles. She’d spoken candidly about being a two-time cancer survivor, having beaten both breast cancer and colon cancer.

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Charlotte Roberts is a writer at Grazia UK, specialising in SEO. She spends her days covering everything celebrity, culture, and entertainment – from film review roundups to cast explainers.