Jacklyn Gise Bezos remembered for resilience and dedication
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos announced Thursday that his mother, Jacklyn Gise Bezos, has died at the age of 78 after a long battle with Lewy body dementia. She passed away at her Miami home surrounded by family, according to the Bezos Scholars Program, a foundation she co-founded with her husband, Mike Bezos.
A life marked by perseverance
Born in Washington, D.C., Gise Bezos became a mother to Jeff at 17 while living in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a young single parent, she balanced night school with a bank job, where she met Cuban immigrant Miguel “Mike” Bezos. The couple married in 1968, later welcoming children Christina and Mark. She dedicated her life to raising her family with “compassion, patience, and wisdom,” Bezos said.
Commitment to education and philanthropy
At 45, Gise Bezos earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Elizabeth University, proving it’s “never too late to follow your dreams.” In 2000, she co-founded the Bezos Family Foundation, focusing on education initiatives, and in 2005 launched the Bezos Scholars Program to support young leaders globally.
Legacy and final tributes
Her death comes just weeks after her son’s wedding to Lauren Sánchez in Italy, attended by prominent figures including Oprah Winfrey and Queen Rania of Jordan. “She always gave so much more than she ever asked for,” Bezos wrote. “I hold her safe in my heart forever. I love you, mom.”
