Jacklyn Gise Bezos, the mother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has died at the age of 78 after a long fight with Lewy body dementia, according to a tribute posted by her son on Instagram Thursday.
She passed away at her home in Miami, surrounded by family.
Bezos: “She Pounced on the Job of Loving Me”
In his heartfelt message, the 61-year-old billionaire recalled his mother becoming a parent at just 17 years old. “That couldn’t have been easy, but she made it all work,” Bezos wrote.
“She pounced on the job of loving me with ferocity, brought my amazing dad onto the team a few years later, and then added my sister and brother to her list of people to love, guard, and nourish.”
Lifelong Advocate for Education
An obituary on the Bezos Scholars Program website described Jacklyn as a lifelong educator and a passionate advocate for children’s learning.
“Together, we can change the trajectory of an entire generation,” she once wrote. “We are not just building brains — we are building the future.”
She was also a founding member of the Bezos Family Foundation, which is dedicated to helping young people reach their full potential and meaningfully contribute to society.
Family Legacy and Final Wishes
Jacklyn Bezos is survived by her husband Mike, children Jeff, Christina, and Mark, along with eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, mourners either donate to a nonprofit of their choice or perform an act of kindness in her memory.
