The Kardashian-Jenner entertainment dynasty is mourning the loss of its beloved founding matriarch: Mary Jo “MJ” Campbell, mother of family manager Kris Jenner, has passed away at the age of 91. No immediate cause of death has been released to the public as of the family’s announcement.
Kris Jenner, the 70-year-old architect of the family’s global media empire, shared the sad news with her followers on social media this Thursday. In an emotional post, she wrote, “Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ.” Jenner went on to open up about the lasting lessons Campbell leaves behind, noting, “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.”
Campbell became a familiar, well-loved face for reality TV audiences after the Kardashian-Jenner family rose to mainstream fame with the 2007 premiere of *Keeping Up with the Kardashians*. She made multiple guest appearances across the long-running original series and its Hulu follow-up *The Kardashians*, sharing the screen with her daughter and five celebrity grandchildren: Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé Kardashian, plus Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
Among those paying tribute is A-list celebrity and business mogul Kim Kardashian, founder of the shapewear and loungewear brand Skims. Kardashian remembered Campbell as far more than just a grandmother, calling her “my best friend, my gossip buddy, my forever twin” in her own social media tribute. She expanded on the profound impact Campbell had on her personal and professional life, writing, “You taught all of us the importance of family, and those values are something we’ll carry with us forever!!!!! You were the woman who showed me what it meant to be a hardworking businesswoman.”
Kardashian also recalled that Campbell gave her her very first job at Campbell’s retail store in San Diego. That early experience, Kardashian shared, instilled in her core lessons about work ethic, inner strength, and confidence that she has carried with her throughout her decades-long career in entertainment and business.