New details have emerged about the death of Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon, the mother of Kris Jenner, after her official death certificate revealed the medical conditions that led to her passing.
While the Kardashian-Jenner family publicly announced Shannon's death earlier this month and shared heartfelt tributes, the newly obtained document provides a clearer picture of her final months.
Death Certificate Confirms Official Cause of Death
According to Shannon's death certificate, obtained by Us Weekly, her immediate cause of death was acute cardiopulmonary arrest.
The official record also lists acute respiratory failure and metastatic lung cancer as underlying conditions that contributed to her death.
The certificate states Shannon had been living with metastatic lung cancer for several months before she died.
She passed away at a Los Angeles hospital on 16 July.
The newly released document offers additional medical details that were not included when Kris Jenner first announced her mother's death, giving the public a fuller understanding of the health issues Shannon faced during the final stage of her life.
Official Records Reveal Details of Final Days
Beyond confirming the MJ Shannon cause of death update, the death certificate also documents events following her passing. It states that Shannon was cremated on 23 July and that no post-mortem examination was performed.
The timeline also highlights that Shannon died just 10 days before what would have been her 92nd birthday on 26 July.
Jenner announced her mother's death on the day she passed away, sharing an emotional message on Instagram.
'Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ,' Jenner wrote. 'There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye.'
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She described her mother as 'the heart of our family' and said Shannon had taught her the importance of loving family, showing kindness and appreciating every moment together.
Kardashian Family Pays Tribute to MJ Shannon
Following Jenner's announcement, members of the Kardashian family shared tributes celebrating Shannon's life and legacy.
Khloé Kardashian reflected on her grandmother's outlook on life in an Instagram post shared days after her death.
'My sweet MJ. Thank you for showing us that life is meant to be celebrated, that laughter is healing, and that love is the greatest legacy we can leave behind,' she wrote alongside a collection of family photographs.
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Kim Kardashian also remembered her grandmother by sharing what appeared to be one of the final exchanges in the family's group chat, revealing that Shannon and Kris Jenner had exchanged Biblical quotations only days before her death.
On what would have been Shannon's 92nd birthday, Kim posted another tribute, saying she had learned even more about her grandmother while going through her belongings with Jenner.
Jenner also marked the occasion by sharing family photographs with the message: 'Happy Heavenly Birthday Mommy. I love you.'
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MJ Shannon's Legacy Beyond the Kardashian Family
Long before becoming known to millions through the Kardashian family's television success, Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon built a life centred on family and business.
She was married three times.
Her first marriage, to her high school sweetheart at the age of 18, lasted only two months.
She later married Robert 'Bob' Houghton, with whom she had daughters Kris Jenner and Karen Houghton.
Karen died in March 2024 at the age of 65.
Following her divorce from Houghton in 1962, Shannon married Harry Shannon.
The couple remained together for four decades until his death in 2003.
An online obituary described Shannon as a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who is survived by Kris Jenner, seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
It also remembered her for her warmth, entrepreneurial spirit, love of La Jolla and the lasting impact she left on the community she cherished.
