Who Was Jeff Bezos's Mom, Jacklyn? Mom At 17, Married Twice, Raised 3 Kids, Helped Launch Amazon

Jacklyn Gise Bezos, a.k.a Jackie, the mother of Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, has died at 78 after a long battle with Lewy body dementia, weeks after his glitzy wedding to Lauren Sánchez. During her rare public appearances to cheer her son at events, she was already dealing with the illness and passed away peacefully at her Miami home on August 14, 2025, surrounded by family, including her children, grandchildren, and her second husband, Miguel Bezos. Jeff himself shared the news in an IG post, where he addressed her as his "fierce advocate and supporter". Here's everything you might like to know about her.

Jackie Bezos embraced motherhood during her teenage years

Jackie Bezos was born on December 29, 1946, in Bernalillo, New Mexico. Her father worked at Sandia National Laboratories, and she had a distant family tie to country star George Strait. At the age of 16, she began to date Ted Jorgensen, a unicyclist. During their dating, she became pregnant, and the duo tied the knot in 1963. They welcomed Jeff on January 12, 1964, just two weeks after her 17th birthday.

But despite having Ted with him, her early years of motherhood were anything but easy. When she wanted to pursue education, she faced opposition from her high school, which initially tried to prevent her graduation due to her pregnancy. But she tried her level best, graduated and took on the challenge of raising her son while working and studying at night. Within the next two years, her marriage to Ted ended, leaving Jackie alone to raise Jeff as a single mother.

Jackie found love again in Miguel Bezos 

When Jackie moved ahead in her life and used to attended night school, she met Cuban immigrant Miguel Bezos. They fell in love and married in 1968. Soon after their marriage, Miguel officially adopted Jeff. The couple moved to Houston, Texas, and later welcomed two more children, a daughter, Christina and a son, Mark. Jacklyn eventually earned her degree from Saint Elizabeth University at age 40, proving her dedication to completing her education and ensuring personal growth.

Jackie Bezos supported her son, Jeff's vision for Amazon

Jacklyn and Miguel played a significant role in helping Jeff launch Amazon in 1995. They loaned him USD 245,573 in exchange for a 6% stake in his upcoming venture with Amazon. Jeff didn't disappoint them as he turned Amazon into one of the world's most influential companies. This leap of faith was more than financial because she trusted her son's vision as a mother. Apart from work, she dedicated herself to philanthropy. She and Miguel co-founded the Bezos Family Foundation to fund health and educational programs like Vroom and the Bezos Scholars Program. One of their biggest contributions was a USD 710.5 million donation to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Centre to advance cancer research.

A struggle against Dementia marked Jackie Bezos' final years

According to the obituary shared by Jeff Bezos, Jackie was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2020. It is a progressive neurological disorder affecting memory, movement, and thinking. Despite her illness, she continued to support the foundation's work, showing dedication until her final days. So, her legacy will live on through her children, grandchildren and countless lives she touched with her work. Sharing his feelings over the same, Jeff penned:

'We were all so lucky to be in her life. I hold her safe in my heart forever. Her adulthood started a little bit early when she became my mom at the tender age of 17. That couldn't have been easy, but she made it all work. 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. I love you, Mom."

We share our heartfelt condolences to Jackie Bezos's family during this painful time.

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