Mary Jo Campbell, better known as Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon, was an American businesswoman, television personality, and the mother of Kris Jenner. Although millions recognized her as the grandmother of the Kardashian-Jenner family, she had spent decades running a successful children’s boutique before appearing on reality television. Born in 1934, she became a familiar presence on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and later The Kardashians. She died on July 16, 2026, at age 91, leaving behind a family that frequently credited her with shaping its values and entrepreneurial outlook.
Mary Jo Campbell (July 26, 1934 – July 16, 2026), also known as MJ Shannon, was Kris Jenner’s mother and the grandmother of the Kardashian-Jenner siblings. She was an American boutique owner who appeared on the family’s reality television shows. She died at age 91, ten days before her 92nd birthday.
Family Profile
Mary Jo Campbell – Quick Bio
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mary Jo Campbell (later Mary Jo Shannon) |
| Nickname | MJ |
| Date of Birth | July 26, 1934 |
| Birthplace | Arkansas, United States |
| Date of Death | July 16, 2026 |
| Age at Death | 91 years |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Businesswoman, boutique owner, and reality television personality |
| Known For | Kris Jenner’s mother and Kardashian-Jenner family matriarch |
| Husbands | First husband (high school sweetheart), Robert True Houghton, and Harry Shannon |
| Children | Kris Jenner and Karen Houghton |
| Notable Grandchildren | Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Rob, Kendall, and Kylie |
| Business | Shannon & Company children’s boutique |
| Television Appearances | Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Kardashians |
Who Was Mary Jo Campbell Beyond the Kardashian Family?
Before she became known to television audiences, Mary Jo built a career in retail and raised her two daughters in Southern California. Her life was largely independent of the entertainment industry, although her family’s growing fame eventually introduced her to an international audience. Her professional background offered a different perspective on the family’s commercial success.
Her daughter Kris Jenner developed into a prominent entertainment manager and businesswoman, overseeing careers and commercial ventures across the Kardashian-Jenner family. MJ had already spent years managing stores, developing customer relationships, and operating a small business. Kris publicly acknowledged her mother’s influence on her approach to work and family life.
Unlike relatives whose careers developed through entertainment and social media, Mary Jo had established her professional identity in a traditional retail environment. Her public appearances came much later, when the family introduced viewers to its extended relatives and personal history.
You Might Also Like: Snapjotz Com Review 2026: Is It Legit?
Mary Jo Campbell’s Early Life and Younger Years
Mary Jo was born on July 26, 1934, in Arkansas. Her early life took place decades before her family became widely recognized through television. She eventually settled in California, where she developed the personal and professional connections that shaped much of her adult life.
Her interests included fashion and modeling. In a 2012 interview with The Daily Beast, she discussed enrolling in a charm school called Fashionality at age 15 and working as a model when she was younger. These experiences preceded her career in retail, where clothing and presentation remained important parts of her work.
At 18, she married her high school sweetheart after they had dated for several years. The marriage ended after approximately two months. She subsequently remarried and began the family life that would connect her to one of television’s best-known households.
Mary Jo Campbell’s Husbands and Marriage History
Marriage to Robert True Houghton
Mary Jo married Robert True Houghton, an aircraft engineer, and the couple had two daughters, Kris and Karen. Kris was born on November 5, 1955, in San Diego, California. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1962, when Kris was approximately seven years old.
Following the separation, Mary Jo raised her daughters on her own for a period. Kris later described aspects of her childhood and her mother’s influence in interviews. Her early family history is also documented in Biography.com’s profile of Kris Jenner.
Marriage to Harry Shannon
Mary Jo later married businessman Harry Shannon, who became an important father figure to Kris and Karen. The marriage lasted approximately 40 years, ending with Harry’s death in 2003 following complications associated with a car accident. Kris publicly recalled the emotional impact his death had on the family.
The Shannon surname became the one Mary Jo was most widely known by in later life. Television viewers generally recognized her as MJ Shannon rather than by her birth name, Mary Jo Campbell.
Her Career as a Businesswoman and Boutique Owner
Mary Jo operated several stores during her working life, but Shannon & Company became her best-known business. She established the children’s boutique in 1980 in the La Jolla area of San Diego. The store carried clothing and other merchandise for children, attracting local customers over many years.
During her interview with The Daily Beast, she discussed the store’s merchandise, her retail experience, and the independence that running a business gave her. She also recalled her grandchildren spending time there when they were young. The boutique was therefore both a commercial operation and a familiar setting in their childhoods.
Kris worked in her mother’s store when she was younger and later helped manage it during a difficult period following Harry Shannon’s accident. Her experience contributed to her understanding of retail operations. Kris subsequently opened a children’s boutique of her own with daughter Kourtney Kardashian.
The relationship between these businesses provides meaningful context for the family’s entrepreneurial background. Mary Jo did not build the Kardashian-Jenner entertainment empire, but she contributed an earlier example of independent business ownership. Her work connected several generations through practical experience rather than celebrity alone.
Her Relationship With Kris Jenner and the Grandchildren
Mary Jo maintained a publicly documented relationship with Kris Jenner and her extended family throughout her later years. Their shared appearances included birthdays, celebrations, television episodes, and major family occasions. Kris regularly expressed admiration for her mother’s independence and personal values.
Through Kris, MJ was grandmother to Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Rob Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, and Kylie Jenner. She was also grandmother to Natalie Zettel, the daughter of Karen Houghton. Several grandchildren publicly described the time they spent with her during childhood and adulthood.
Her younger daughter, Karen Houghton, died on March 18, 2024, aged 65. The loss affected the family, and Kris shared a public tribute acknowledging Karen’s importance in their lives. People’s coverage of Karen’s death also documented tributes from other relatives.
MJ lived to meet multiple great-grandchildren. Family photographs and birthday celebrations showed the different generations gathering together, particularly during her later birthdays.
Mary Jo Campbell’s Television Appearances and Public Life
Mary Jo appeared on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, the E! reality series that premiered in 2007 and concluded in 2021. She subsequently appeared on Hulu’s The Kardashians. Her appearances introduced audiences to the family’s older generation and provided glimpses of her personality and relationships.
Her television moments included conversations with Kris, family celebrations, and occasions involving her grandchildren. Her humor and direct manner became recognizable features of these appearances. However, she remained primarily associated with her family and retail background rather than pursuing a separate entertainment career.
One particularly meaningful family event occurred in May 2022, when MJ attended Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s legal wedding ceremony in Santa Monica. She was one of two witnesses, alongside Barker’s father, Randy Barker. The occasion was subsequently discussed in People’s profile of Mary Jo Shannon.
Her 90th birthday in July 2024 brought several generations of relatives together. The celebration was featured on The Kardashians, where she reflected on motherhood and the importance of her daughters. The gathering demonstrated how her role in the family remained visible well into her nineties.
When Did Mary Jo Campbell Die?
Mary Jo Campbell died on July 16, 2026, at age 91. Kris Jenner announced her mother’s death that day through an Instagram tribute, describing her as the emotional center of the family. The news was independently reported by Reuters and other established news organizations.
Mary Jo Campbell’s Cause of Death
According to a death certificate obtained and reported by Us Weekly on July 28, 2026, the immediate cause of death was acute cardiopulmonary arrest. Acute respiratory failure and metastatic lung cancer were also listed as contributing conditions. The certificate confirmed that she died at a Los Angeles hospital.
She had previously survived breast and colon cancer, experiences discussed publicly by family members. Those earlier illnesses should not be confused with the specific medical conditions recorded on her 2026 death certificate.
Funeral and Family Tributes
The family held a celebration of Mary Jo’s life on July 26, 2026, the date that would have marked her 92nd birthday. The gathering took place at La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, California, according to reporting about the memorial. Her death certificate also recorded that she had been cremated on July 23.
Relatives shared photographs and personal tributes following her death. Their messages emphasized her encouragement, humor, work ethic, and the time she devoted to different generations of the family.
Mary Jo Campbell’s Net Worth and Lasting Influence
Searches for Mary Jo Campbell’s net worth often produce figures without transparent financial documentation. Her decades in retail establish that she owned and operated businesses, but they do not establish the value of her personal assets or estate. No dependable public accounting supports a precise net-worth figure.
Her influence is more clearly documented through her work and the statements made by her relatives. Kris and her children repeatedly acknowledged the lessons they associated with MJ, particularly independence, family commitment, and professional determination.
Conclusion
Mary Jo Campbell was more than Kris Jenner’s mother or a recognizable face from reality television. She was a longtime businesswoman who helped raise two daughters and maintained relationships across several generations of the Kardashian-Jenner family. From operating Shannon & Company to appearing in family celebrations, her life combined personal independence with close family connections. Her death in July 2026 marked the loss of a woman whose contributions were recognized both privately and publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Mary Jo Campbell still alive?
No. Mary Jo Campbell, also known as MJ Shannon, died on July 16, 2026, at age 91. Kris Jenner publicly announced her death, and Reuters and other established news organizations confirmed it.
2. What was Mary Jo Campbell’s cause of death?
Her death certificate listed acute cardiopulmonary arrest as the immediate cause. Acute respiratory failure and metastatic lung cancer were contributing conditions, according to reporting by Us Weekly on July 28, 2026.
3. Who were Mary Jo Campbell’s husbands?
Mary Jo married three times. Her first marriage, to her high school sweetheart, ended after approximately two months. She later married Robert True Houghton, the father of her daughters, and businessman Harry Shannon, who died in 2003.
4. How many grandchildren did Mary Jo Campbell have?
Mary Jo had seven grandchildren: Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian; Kendall and Kylie Jenner; and Natalie Zettel, the daughter of Karen Houghton. She also became a great-grandmother to multiple children in the extended family.
5. What was Mary Jo Campbell’s net worth?
There is no reliably documented public figure for Mary Jo Campbell’s personal net worth. She owned and operated children’s retail businesses, including Shannon & Company, but her business background does not establish the value of her estate or personal wealth.
You Might Also Like: Who Was Karen Houghton? Exclusive Look at Kris Jenner’s Sister
For More Verified Content Visit Us: Info Life