Key Points:
- Jeff Bezos said his mum, Jackie, died aged 78 in Miami. He wrote that she “gave so much more than she asked.”
- The family said doctors diagnosed Jackie with Lewy body dementia in 2020. They thanked carers and urged kind acts in her name.
- Jackie and Mike Bezos built the Bezos Family Foundation in 2000. Their work powers Vroom and the Bezos Scholars Programme.
Jeff Bezos has mourned his mum, Jackie Bezos, who died aged 78. He said she passed on 14 August, in Miami, with family near.
The tech boss praised her love and grit in a short note. “She gave so much more than she asked,” he wrote. “I hold her safe in my heart for ever.” He also shared her full name, Jacklyn Gise Bezos.
A life built on love and grit
For near 60 years, Jackie and her husband, Mike, built a life. They based it on love, respect, and joy. Their bond stayed strong in hard times and good times. It gave their home light and calm.
The home soon grew with Jeff, then Christina, then Mark. Jackie put her kids first and drove them to practice. She sat by the pitch and helped with cheer drills. She hauled drums for school band runs for Mark.
Friends also found a warm place in her house. She fed guests, heard them out, and gave kind words. People felt seen and safe when they sat with her. Many later said she felt like family.
Her push for learning and child growth
Jackie backed school and the power of the mind. At 45, she went back to finish her degree. In May 1991, she earned a BA in Psychology. Saint Elizabeth University in New Jersey gave high honours.
That zeal shaped her next big work with Mike and kin. In 2000, they formed the Bezos Family Foundation. She poured time into two key in-house efforts. They are Vroom and the Bezos Scholars Programme.
Vroom shares clear tips that help young kids’ minds grow. The Scholars Programme backs bright teens in the US and Africa. Jackie also backed health work with Fred Hutch in Seattle. Her push helped drive new gains in cancer immunotherapy care.
Family, illness, and how they wish to honour her
The family said doctors named her illness in 2020. It was Lewy body dementia, which slowly steals the mind. Mike stood by her side in each hard step. The clan kept her close with care and love.
“Camp Marmie” became her joy with eleven grandkids each year. They met to make, fix, laugh, and share stories. Her love still shines in those kids, said the family. They will carry on her grit and her care.
Jackie was born on 29 December, 1946, in Washington, DC. She later moved with her parents to Albuquerque, New Mexico. She had Jeff as a teen mum and worked long hours. A bank job by day and night school built her path.
Her shift crossed with a young Cuban, Miguel “Mike” Bezos. They wed on 5 April, 1968, and stayed strong for life. Jackie leaves Mike; her children Jeff (Lauren), Christina (Steve), and Mark (Lisa). She also leaves eleven grandkids and one great grandchild.
The family thanked nurses, doctors, and close friends for their care. They ask fans to give to a group they value. Or they can do one small kind act in her name. They said that plea would fit how Jackie lived each day.
Jeff wrote that mumhood came early for Jackie at 17. She “pounced on the job of love” and made it work. She later brought Mike “onto the team,” then two more kids. “Her list of people to love never stopped,” he said.
See Jeff’s post below.
