Kris Jenner & Mom Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon Let The World In On Their Unbreakable Bond

Kris Jenner burst onto the scene on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" as the matriarch and business-minded head of the Kardashians, managing the careers of her famous daughters. But before the fame, there was a similarly strong woman who raised Jenner into the person she eventually became, and that was her mother, Mary Jo Shannon. While there are books that detail the complex relationship between mothers and daughters, the relationship between Jenner and her mother was a close and unbreakable one. And it remained so until Shannon's passing on July 16, 2026, at the age of 91. 

Jenner announced Shannon's passing on her Instagram account, writing a heartfelt farewell message in the caption, "There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye. My mom was the heart of our family ... There is not a part of me that isn't shaped by you." The entrepreneur regarded Shannon as her ultimate role model and claimed that she inherited her sharp business sense from her. Considering Shannon singlehandedly operated her own children's clothing store, Jenner took notes from her mother, applying the lessons she'd learned to eventually build her own business empire. Mary Jo Shannon was certainly a bastion of strength in life, and there is no doubt she will be sorely missed by the entire Kardashian clan. 

Kris Jenner revealed more about the tight-knit bond she had with the late Mary Jo Shannon in a segment of the "On Purpose" podcast, hosted by Jay Shetty in November 2025. The seasoned television personality stated that she always enjoyed spending time with her mother, as well as just having some much-needed 'girl time' together. "I talk to her every day on the phone," the momager recounted fondly to Shetty, per People, before adding that they would regularly share TV and movie recommendations with one another. 

Despite their close relationship, Jenner stated that Shannon very much valued her autonomy, remaining firm for the rest of her life in the ability to largely take care of herself. Similar to how Carrie Fisher admired her 'extraordinary' mom Debbie Reynolds, Jenner very much admired Shannon's stance on what she wanted at that stage of her life. " I try to get her to move in with me, but she refuses," Jenner continued, "She's so independent, which I admire and love." Jenner's never-ending respect for her mother is shared by her daughters, with Kylie Jenner even getting a tattoo of Shannon's name in 2016.