Robert True Houghton was an American aircraft engineer best known today as the father of Kris Jenner, the businesswoman and television personality behind the Kardashian Jenner family brand. Though he died decades before his daughter became famous, his name lives on in an unexpected way. In 2018, Khloé Kardashian named her newborn daughter True Thompson, a name that traces directly back to him.
This article looks at who Robert True Houghton actually was, his family background, his career, his marriage and children, the circumstances of his death, and how his name continues to carry meaning within the Kardashian Jenner family today.
Robert True Houghton Bio Profile
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Robert True Houghton |
| Date of Birth | May 12, 1931 |
| Date of Death | March 29, 1975 |
| Age at Death | 43 |
| Birthplace | San Diego, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Father | True Otis Houghton (from Oklahoma) |
| Mother | Mary Lee Pickens (from Texas) |
| Sibling | Linda Lee Houghton |
| Profession | Aircraft Engineer |
| Spouse | Mary Jo Campbell |
| Children | Kristen Mary Houghton (Kris Jenner), Karen Casey Houghton |
| Cause of Death | Car accident in Mexico |
| Known For | Father of Kris Jenner, namesake of True Thompson |
Who Was Robert True Houghton?
Robert True Houghton was born on May 12, 1931, in San Diego, California, to True Otis Houghton, who came from Oklahoma, and Mary Lee Pickens, who came from Texas. He had one sister, Linda Lee Houghton. He grew up during the Great Depression and came of age during and after World War II, a period that shaped an entire generation’s approach to work and family.
He went on to build a career as an aircraft engineer, a respectable and technically demanding profession during the postwar boom in American aviation, when San Diego was home to major aircraft manufacturers.
Robert married Mary Jo Campbell, who ran a children’s clothing store. Together they had two daughters, Kristen Mary Houghton, who later became known as Kris Jenner, and Karen Casey Houghton.
Marriage to Mary Jo Campbell and Divorce
Robert and Mary Jo’s marriage did not last. The couple divorced while their daughters were still young, and Mary Jo later remarried businessman Harry Shannon. Kris and Karen were primarily raised by their mother and stepfather afterward, with Robert stepping back from day to day fatherhood.
According to the biography “Dirty Sexy Money” by Cathy Griffin and Dylan Howard, Kris struggled with her parents’ divorce and reportedly carried a feeling that she was somehow responsible for it, a common experience among children of divorced parents.
Robert’s former girlfriend, Leslie Johnson, has spoken about him in interviews, describing him as charming but also burdened by regret. She said Robert himself felt he had “dropped the ball” as a father, suggesting he was aware of the distance that grew between him and his daughters after the divorce.
Robert True Houghton’s Death
Robert True Houghton died on March 29, 1975, in a car accident in Mexico. He was 43 years old. At the time, Kris was 19 and Karen was 17.
Losing a father at that age, especially one who was already physically distant due to the divorce, left a lasting impact on both daughters. Robert never lived to see his daughters grow into adulthood, never met any of his grandchildren, and died more than three years before Kris married Robert Kardashian in 1978, the marriage that would eventually give rise to the Kardashian Jenner family name as the public knows it today.
Where Does the Name “True” Come From?
The middle name “True” has a clear line of inheritance within the Houghton family. It started with Robert’s father, True Otis Houghton. True Otis passed his first name down to his son as a middle name, making him Robert True Houghton. Robert carried that name for all 43 years of his life.
In April 2018, Khloé Kardashian gave birth to her first child and named her True Thompson. Four days later, Kris Jenner posted on Instagram explaining exactly where the name came from. She confirmed that “True” had belonged to her grandfather, then to her father, and was now being carried forward by a new generation that neither man had lived to see.
This makes True Thompson’s name a three generation tribute, from True Otis Houghton, to Robert True Houghton, to Khloé’s daughter.
How Kris Jenner Has Honored Her Father’s Memory
Despite the limited time Kris had with her father and the complicated nature of their relationship, she has made clear efforts to keep his memory alive within the family.
In 2021, Kris shared an old photograph of her father on social media. Her daughter Kim Kardashian reposted the image to her Instagram Story and captioned it simply with his full name, Robert True Houghton, introducing him to millions of followers who had likely never heard of him before.
The naming of True Thompson in 2018 remains the clearest and most public way the family has honored him. It transformed a name that had quietly passed through two generations of a private family into something recognized by fans of the Kardashian Jenner family around the world.
Robert True Houghton’s Legacy
Robert True Houghton never sought any kind of public recognition during his lifetime. He worked as an aircraft engineer, raised two daughters, went through a divorce, and died relatively young in a car accident decades before his daughter became one of the most influential figures in American reality television and business.
What makes his story notable today is not fame of his own, but the way his name resurfaced through his granddaughter’s choice for her daughter. For a family that is constantly in the public eye, the decision to name a child after a relatively unknown grandfather who died in 1975 says something about how private family history can still matter, even within a famously public family.
Frequently Asked Questions About Robert True Houghton
Who was Robert True Houghton?
Robert True Houghton was an American aircraft engineer and the father of Kris Jenner. He was born on May 12, 1931, in San Diego, California, and died in 1975.
How did Robert True Houghton die?
He died on March 29, 1975, in a car accident in Mexico. He was 43 years old at the time.
Who was Robert True Houghton married to?
He was married to Mary Jo Campbell. The marriage ended in divorce while their daughters were still young.
How many children did Robert True Houghton have?
He had two daughters, Kristen Mary Houghton, known today as Kris Jenner, and Karen Casey Houghton.
Why is Robert True Houghton’s name important to the Kardashian family?
His middle name, “True,” was passed down from his own father, True Otis Houghton. In 2018, Khloé Kardashian named her daughter True Thompson after this family tradition.
Did Kris Jenner have a close relationship with her father?
Their relationship was complicated. After her parents’ divorce, Kris was primarily raised by her mother and stepfather, Harry Shannon. Reports suggest Robert later expressed regret about not being more present in his daughters’ lives.
Did Robert True Houghton ever meet his grandchildren?
No. He died in 1975, more than three years before Kris Jenner married Robert Kardashian in 1978, so he never met any of his grandchildren.
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