4 Fast Facts about Robert Houghton, Kris Jenner's Late Father

Robert Houghton is best known as Kris Jenner's father. Kris Jenner is one of the most famous individuals in Hollywood, but much is known about her late father, unlike her mother.

Being a media personality and socialite, Kris Jenner and most of her family live their lives in the spotlight. However, certain parts of her life are rarely heard about, especially as concerns her father, Robert Houghton.

The socialite, who is also become a businesswoman, sometimes shares posts about her father on social media. Her kids also pay tribute to him in their unique ways; one of her daughters named her child after Robert.

Main Facts about Him

Robert Houghton was born in San Diego, California, on May 12, 1931. He had two kids, Karen and Kris Jenner, born Kristen Mary Houghton. Kris's middle name was her mother's first name, and her last name was her dad's.

Robert sadly died in March 1975 in his 40s. He had already been separated from his wife, Mary Jo Campbell, when he passed away. Robert and his wife reportedly divorced when Kris was seven years old, and she and her sister were raised by their mom.

Khloe Kardashian Named Her Daughter after Robert

Kris Jenner's kids often try to keep their grandfather's memory alive. One of the ways Khloe Kardashian did this was to name her daughter after Robert Houghton. The businesswoman quickly shared with the public that the name given to Khloe's daughter came from her side of the family.

The 66-year-old once revealed where her granddaughter True's name came from. She took to Twitter in 2018 and shared a post that revealed details about the name True and a photo showing a bunch of balloons.

The post came just days after Khloe gave birth to True, and it began with Kris stating that she was delighted to welcome her granddaughter. She shared what she described as a "FUN FACT" about the name.

According to the media personality, her grandfather's name from her father's side was True Otis Houghton, a name also given to her father as he was called Robert True Houghton. She stated she was "excited" that Khloe named her daughter True and included the hashtags "#lovebug #familytradition #family."

Kim Paid Tribute to Her Late Grandfather

Khloe Kardashian isn't the only one of Robert Houghton's grandchildren who has chosen to ensure he is not forgotten. Robert's granddaughter Kim Kardashian paid tribute to him on social media.

In 2021, her mother shared an old photo of a young Robert on social media. Kim reposted the picture on her own Instagram Story. She captioned it by mentioning that it was her grandpa in the image and wrote his full name, Robert True Houghton.

Robert Houghton Reportedly Died in a Car Accident

Robert Houghton reportedly died in a car accident. According to Robert's then-girlfriend, Vicky Thomsen, he drove his Porsche in Mexico after he had a few drinks and drove head-on into a truck.

Thomsen said she was also in the car, and the two were heading to "the next big town" where they planned to get married. She explained that she was talking to Robert that night moments before the accident and "suddenly heard metal smashing."

She said Robert sustained internal injuries and was helped by nuns from a nearby convent after the accident. Numerous reports have stated that Robert was allegedly a violent alcoholic. Robert reportedly sabotaged his career due to alcohol addiction and was described as "very entrepreneurial."

Robert's daughter only learned about her father's accident which took his life when she turned 19. Kris was said to have always hoped her parents would reunite after their divorce.

Some have claimed she didn't go a day without feeling "the sting of Bob's abandonment" and "longed for his attention and love." Kris Jenner didn't have an easy childhood, and her background is said to have been the drive behind her success.