Kim Kardashian joined Kris Jenner and other members of their family for a celebration of life honoring Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon following the family matriarch’s death at age 91.
The private gathering took place on July 26, what would have been MJ’s 92nd birthday, at the La Valencia Hotel in San Diego’s La Jolla neighborhood.
Kardashian wore a floor-length white gown for the occasion before later returning to Los Angeles aboard a private jet.
The memorial followed several emotional social media tributes from Kris, Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, who shared photographs and memories of the woman they described as the heart of their family.
The Family Gathered on What Would Have Been MJ’s Birthday
Kim Kardashian slips into glamorous white gown as she joins mom Kris and family at late grandmother’s celebration of life… before heading back to LA on private jet https://t.co/aYgNvgYZEM
— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) July 29, 2026
The Kardashian-Jenner family took over the bar at the La Valencia Hotel for an intimate gathering that lasted approximately three hours, according to TMZ.
Kardashian was photographed arriving in white and stopping to take photographs with people outside the venue. Kris attended as relatives and family partners gathered to remember MJ on the birthday she did not live to celebrate.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker were also seen at the event. Kendall Jenner and Jacob Elordi reportedly traveled to San Diego with Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet, although the couples were not photographed leaving with the larger family group.
The event was described as a celebration of life rather than a public funeral service. San Diego held particular significance for MJ, who owned the children’s boutique Shannon & Co. there for decades.
Kim Learned More About MJ While Sorting Through Her Belongings
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Kim reflected on the days following her grandmother’s death in an Instagram tribute shared on July 26. “Happy Heavenly 92nd Birthday grandma!” she wrote. “It’s only been a week but wow the amount of things I’ve learned about you this week from going through all of your stuff with mom has been beautiful!”
Kim said she had believed she already knew everything about MJ, whom she considered one of her closest friends. Sorting through her grandmother’s possessions with Kris nevertheless revealed more about MJ’s life and deepened her appreciation for her. “Today we celebrate you!” Kim continued. “I miss you like crazy and I love you endlessly my sweet grandma MJ.”
She called her grandmother her “best friend,” “gossip buddy” and “forever twin” and credited her with teaching the family to place its relationships with one another first. Kim also remembered working at Shannon & Co. when she was young. She said MJ taught her about discipline, confidence and becoming a hardworking businesswoman while consistently encouraging her ambitions.
Kris Called Her Mother the Heart of the Family
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Kris announced her mother’s death in an Instagram post on July 16. “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.”
She said her mother’s influence would continue through the family’s traditions and the generations that followed her. “When I look at my kids and my grandkids, I will forever see pieces of you in all of us,” Kris wrote. “There is not a part of me that isn’t shaped by you.”
Kris marked MJ’s birthday with a separate carousel of photographs from previous celebrations, writing simply, “Happy Heavenly Birthday Mommy. I love you.”
Kourtney also shared images spanning her childhood and adult life with MJ. She associated her grandmother with Christmas, Halloween, the ocean, tea and gingerbread cookies and said she was grateful to have experienced MJ’s love for 47 years.
MJ Was a Familiar Part of the Family’s Television Shows
MJ became known to viewers through her appearances on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, its Hulu successor The Kardashians and other family television projects. Her relationships with Kris and her grandchildren frequently appeared onscreen, while her dry humor and willingness to challenge members of the family made her a familiar presence beyond occasional holiday or birthday episodes.
Long before the family entered reality television, MJ established herself as a businesswoman. She opened Shannon & Co. in San Diego in 1980 and remained closely connected to the city throughout her life.
Her death certificate lists acute cardiopulmonary arrest as the immediate cause of death. Acute respiratory failure and metastatic lung cancer were identified as additional conditions that led to her death. MJ died at a Los Angeles hospital on July 16 after reportedly living with cancer for several months. She was cremated on July 23, and no autopsy was performed.