Mary Jo MJ Shannon dies at the age of 91: Kris Jenner expressed condolences, Kim Kardashian paid tribute
Kris Jenner announced that her mother, Mary Jo ‘MJ’ Shannon, has died at the age of 91, prompting tributes from the Kardashian family. Their messages remembered MJ as the emotional center of the family and a lasting influence on their values and work ethic.
Kris Jenner announces the death of her mother, Mary Jo ‘MJ’ Shannon, who has died at the age of 91. The American media personality shared the news on Instagram on Thursday. No cause of death was given.
In an emotional tribute, Jenner wrote that her mother was “the heart of our family” and credited her with teaching the most important thing about family. Other members of the Kardashian family also mourned for MJ, with Kim Kardashian calling her grandmother ‘my best friend, my gossip buddy, my forever twin.’
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Jenner wrote that the family has said goodbye to her “beautiful mom MJ” and expressed that there are no words to describe what her mother meant to her or the pain of losing her. She shared that MJ had taught her to “love your family deeply, be kind, take care of the people you love and never take any moment together for granted.”
Jenner also shared that MJ also showed her how to face life’s challenges with resilience and confidence. She thanked him for every sacrifice, every piece of wisdom and every moment of love, and said she would miss their daily conversations, his smile and his laughter.
Jenner also wrote that the family was heartbroken, but were consoled by the belief that MJ’s love would remain with them through their family, traditions, and spending time together. She said that when she looked at her children and grandchildren, she would “always see parts of you in all of us” and added that there was no part of her that was not shaped by her mother.
He concluded his tribute by saying that if he has done anything right in life, it is because he has tried to live in a way that would make his mother proud. Jenner wrote that every memory, moment, and blessing has come because of her, and thanked God for making MJ her mother. “My heart is broken into a million pieces,” he wrote. “I love you always mom. Thank you for giving us everything,” she wrote.
Kim Kardashian’s tribute to ‘Grandma MJ’
Kim Kardashian also shared a tribute on Instagram, calling MJ her best friend, gossip buddy and forever twin. She said that MJ had taught her the importance of family and those values would always stay with her.
Kim wrote that her grandmother showed her what it means to be a hard-working businesswoman. He shared that MJ gave him his first job at his store in San Diego and taught him lessons about work ethic, strength, and confidence that stayed with him. According to Kim, MJ always believed in her, supported her and was her safe place.
In her post, Kim described MJ as the head of the family and said that their love is woven into all of them. “Hugs to Papa Harry, Aunty Karen and my dad,” she wrote, adding that MJ will always be a part of her. She also included a light note, writing that MJ was probably in heaven and seeing the family’s Instagram posts from her “sneaky finsta account.”
More About Mary Jo ‘MJ’ Campbell
MJ has made regular appearances on the family’s reality television show over the years, keeping up with the Kardashians and later kardashian. She was often seen as a calming and comforting presence, and granddaughters often talked about how much they admired their grandmother.
Shannon was the founder of San Diego children’s boutique Shannon & Company. She was married to Jenner’s father, Robert Houghton, before divorcing when she was seven years old. She later married Harry Shannon and lived with him for 40 years until his death in a car accident in 2003.
Along with Kris Jenner, MJ was also the mother of Karen Houghton, who died of cardiac arrest at the age of 65 in March 2024.