Mary Jo "M.J." Shannon, the beloved mother of Kris Jenner and grandmother to the Kardashian-Jenner family, has passed away at the age of 91.
On Thursday, the momager shared an emotional Instagram tribute announcing the heartbreaking news.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
"Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ," Jenner wrote alongside a photo of her mother.
She went on to share, "There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye.
Jenner noted, "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. She taught us that family is everything. She showed us how to love unconditionally and how to find joy in the little moments. She showed me how to face life's challenges with resilience and faith."
In the tribute, The Kardashians star thanked her mother for her love, sacrifices and guidance, saying she would deeply miss their daily conversations and describing her loss as heartbreaking while adding that her mother's legacy would live on through the family.
She added, “When I look at my kids and my grandkids, I will forever see pieces of you in all of us. 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. Every memory, every moment, every blessing, it was all because of you, and I will forever thank God every single day for making you my mommy.”
Jenner concluded, “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. Thank you for giving us everything.”
Mary Jo "M.J." Shannon career
To note, Shannon made frequent appearances on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Kardashians, most recently in two Season 6 episodes of the latter in 2025.
