Kris Jenner is mourning the loss of her mother, Mary Jo “MJ” Campbell, who died at the age of 91. The reality TV star and businesswoman shared the news in an emotional Instagram post on July 16, calling her mother “the heart of our family.” Campbell’s death comes more than two years after the family lost Kris Jenner’s sister, Karen Houghton, in March 2024.
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As tributes continue to pour in, many fans are also looking back at the people closest to Campbell, including her former husband Robert Houghton and daughter Karen Houghton.
Mary Jo Campbell was previously married to Robert Houghton, the father of Kris Jenner. The couple divorced when Kris was young. Over the years, Kris has spoken openly about her childhood and her close bond with her mother, who largely raised her after the marriage ended.
While Robert Houghton stayed mostly out of the public spotlight, Campbell remained a constant presence in Kris Jenner’s life and later became well known to viewers through appearances on the Kardashian family’s reality shows.
Karen Houghton was Kris Jenner’s younger sister. Unlike most members of the Kardashian-Jenner family, Karen largely stayed away from television and public attention.
Karen died in March 2024 at the age of 65. At the time, Kris Jenner announced the news and said she was sharing it “with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness.” She also wrote, “I cherish every single memory we have together.”
Karen’s death was later reported to have been caused by cardiac arrest.
In her Instagram tribute, Kris Jenner remembered her mother as the person who taught her the most important lessons in life.
“Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ. 😞💔,” she wrote.
“There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye.”
Jenner also called Campbell “the heart of our family” and said, “[Campbell] 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.”
Jenner thanked her mother for a lifetime of love and support, writing, “Mom, thank you for every sacrifice you made, every piece of wisdom you shared, and every moment you loved us so completely.”
She added, “There is not a part of me that isn’t shaped by you.”
So far, Kylie Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian have reacted to the tribute by liking the post. Other members of the Kardashian-Jenner family have not publicly shared statements.
