Mary Jo Shannon, Kardashian matriarch, dies at 91

Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon, mother of Kris Jenner and grandmother of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, has died at the age of 91. Her daughter announced the news on Instagram, describing her as 'the heart of our family' Source: People/Instagram.

The announcement

Kris Jenner posted a heartfelt tribute, recalling that MJ taught her 'to love your family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people you love, and never take a single moment together for granted' Source: ABC.es. Kim Kardashian also shared a message, thanking her grandmother for giving her her first job at Shannon & Co. and for teaching her about work ethic Source: El Mundo.

Business and TV legacy

Long before the family's reality fame, MJ ran a children's boutique called Shannon & Co. in La Jolla, California, which inspired her granddaughters' later business ventures Source: La Vanguardia. She appeared regularly on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Kardashians, becoming a beloved figure to fans Source: Infobae.

A life of resilience

MJ survived two cancer diagnoses and was married three times. Her first marriage lasted only two months, a story she humorously compared to Kim's short-lived marriage to Kris Humphries Source: El Español. She was predeceased by her husband Harry Shannon and her daughter Karen Houghton.