Jeff Bezos’ Mother, Jacklyn Gise Bezos, Dies at 78 After Battle with Lewy Body Dementia

Jackie Bezos, mother of Jeff Bezos, died at age 78

Jacklyn Gise Bezos, the mother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, died Thursday at her Miami home after a long battle with Lewy body dementia. She was 78. Surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and husband, she passed peacefully, the Bezos family confirmed.

Born in 1946, Jacklyn became a mother at just 17 years old when she gave birth to Jeff. In a heartfelt tribute, the 61-year-old billionaire reflected on her resilience, writing that while becoming a mother so young “couldn’t have been easy, she made it all work,” embracing the role with “ferocity” and love. He recalled how she welcomed his adoptive father, Miguel “Mike” Bezos, into their lives a few years later and expanded her love to include her daughter Christina, son Mark, 11 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

“Her adulthood started a little bit early when she became my mom at the tender age of 17,” the 61-year-old billionaire wrote in the Instagram tribute post.

Jacklyn was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2020. Despite her illness, her dedication to family never wavered. “She always gave so much more than she ever asked for,” Bezos wrote. His wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, commented, “We will miss her SO much. Love you ❤️💔.”

The Bezos Family Foundation described Jacklyn as “relentless,” noting that she worked at a bank while taking night classes after high school. It was there she met Mike Bezos, marrying him in April 1968. The foundation praised her lifelong commitment to raising her children “with compassion, patience, and wisdom,” and her unwavering devotion to those she loved.

Jeff and the mother