Mary Jo Campbell, the mother of Kris Jenner and matriarch of the Kardashian family, died on July 16 at the age of 91. Her immediate cause of death was acute cardiopulmonary arrest, according to a death certificate obtained by USWeekly. Contributing factors included acute respiratory failure and metastatic lung cancer, which Campbell had been managing for months prior to her death.
Campbell passed away at a Los Angeles hospital. She was cremated on July 23, and no autopsy was performed. She became a recognizable figure through her frequent appearances on the family's reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, alongside her daughter Kris Jenner and grandchildren.
Kris Jenner announced her mother's passing on Instagram, sharing a tribute that described Campbell as the "heart of our family." She highlighted her mother's teachings on the importance of family, kindness, and cherishing moments. "My mom was the heart of our family. 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. She added, "Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that love like yours never truly leaves us."
Kim Kardashian also shared a tribute to her "forever twin," her "sweet Grandma MJ." Kardashian recalled her grandmother teaching her the importance of family values and her work ethic, noting that Campbell had given her her first job at her children's clothing boutique in San Diego. "You truly were the matriarch of our family, and your love is woven into all of us," Kardashian stated.
Campbell's life included a period of modeling before she opened Shannon & Company, a children's boutique in La Jolla, California, in 1980. The store was a place where the Kardashian siblings often played, and Jenner worked there as a teenager. Campbell herself had previously overcome battles with breast and colon cancer. She was married three times, including a 40-year marriage to Harry Shannon until his death in 2003.