Who was Karen Houghton? Kris Jenner reflects on her sister's life on her birthday

Kris Jenner recently paid tribute to her late sister Karen Houghton on her 67th birthday.

She took to her Instagram to write an emotional birthday post for her on Monday, November 24, 2025. Sharing a few pictures from her past, which included their mother Mary Jo Shannon, the reality TV star wrote in the caption:

“Happy heavenly birthday to my beautiful sister Karen. I think about you every single day… I miss you, I love you, and I know you’re watching over all of us.”

Houghton was Kris Jenner's younger sister and the aunt of the Kardashian-Jenner sisters. She passed away unexpectedly in March last year at the age of 65. She lived her life mostly out of the spotlight, unlike Kris. She had a daughter, Natalie, with her husband, Mark Zentel. Despite sharing a complicated relationship, Kris and Karen were known to be part of each other’s lives.

Continue to read for more details.

All we need to know about Kris Jenner’s sister Karen Houghton

Karen Houghton was born in 1958, three years after Kris Jenner. They were raised together in Southern California by their mother, Mary Jo Shannon, and their father, Robert Houghton. When they split in 1962, Mary tied the knot for the second time with Harry Shannon.

She married Mark Zentel in 1996, and they were together until their divorce in 2002 after six years of marriage. They welcomed their daughter, Natalie, in California after two years of marriage.

Natalie is a 27-year-old fashion model, according to her Instagram bio. She is the owner of the company Styles by Nat. It is an “unlimited rental subscription service that makes it easy to wear new looks all month long without any commitment,” as described by its official website.

She recently tied the knot with Noah Warren, owner and operator of Blue Ocean Sportfishing. Kris Jenner supported her niece by attending her wedding in La Jolla, California. She also extended her warm wishes in an Instagram post, describing the day as magical and filled with love and laughter. She also gifted Natalie a stunning Oscar de la Renta wedding dress.

Kris Jenner announced her sister’s passing “with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness” through her social media platforms. Taking to her X account, the businesswoman wrote,

“Karen was beautiful inside and out. She was the sweetest, kindest, the most sensitive and vulnerable and so so funny. She always felt grateful and thankful for her life and treasured her family and friends and especially her beautiful daughter. She holds such a huge part of my heart and I cherish every single memory we have together. Karen’s passing is a reminder that life is so short and precious and tomorrow is never promised. We must tell those we cherish how much we love them. I love you my beautiful sister.”

According to TMZ, the cause of death of Karen’s death was revealed as cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac arrhythmia. It also listed Type 2 diabetes as the secondary underlying issue.

Karen was outspoken about conflicts between her and Kris Jenner. She accused her sister of being obsessed with money and power, famously saying Kris was driven by "power, power, power and money" and cared about things like Gucci purses and Bentleys.

In another interview Karen also publicly called out Kris for neglecting their mother, MJ, and expressed frustration that Kris did not respond to her calls or offer help when needed.

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