Celebrity Celebrity Deaths Celebrity Death News Jon Bon Jovi’s Mom Carol Bongiovi Dies at 83: 'A Force to Be Reckoned With' Carol Bongiovi died on Tuesday, July 9, three days short of her 84th birthday By Ingrid Vasquez Ingrid Vasquez Ingrid Vasquez is a Digital News Writer at PEOPLE. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor in Journalism. Before joining the team, she worked as an Editor at FanSided and provided work in the celebrity and lifestyle space for brands that include Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, EW, and more. People Editorial Guidelines and Jeff Nelson Jeff Nelson Jeff Nelson is the Senior Music Editor at PEOPLE. He has been with the brand since 2014, editing, writing and reporting across entertainment verticals. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 9, 2024 10:16PM EDT Jon Bon Jovi and Carol Bongiovi. Photo: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Jon Bon Jovi's mother, Carol A. Bongiovi, has died. She was 83. Carol died on Tuesday, July 9, three days short of her 84th birthday, at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, N.J., PEOPLE confirms. "Our mother was a force to be reckoned with, her spirit and can-do attitude shaped this family. She will be greatly missed," Bon Jovi, 62, told PEOPLE in a statement on behalf of the family. Jon Bon Jovi and his mother Carol Sharkey in 2008. Marc Serota/Getty Inside Bon Jovi's 40-Year Career: From Their Big Break in the '80s to Where They Stand Today Aside from being the founder of her son’s eponymous band's fan club, Carol was an entrepreneur operating several businesses. The Erie, Penn. native and Playboy bunny enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1959, where she served her country honorably and met her future husband, John Bongiovi, Sr. The couple later moved to Sayreville, N.J., where she and her husband raised their family. They later settled in Holmdel, N.J., where she resided until her death. While speaking with The Big Issue in November 2020, Bon Jovi credited his parents with giving him "the ability to make the dream reality." Jon Bon Jovi's mother, Carol. The Bongiovi family 20 Incredible Throwback Photos of Jon Bon Jovi “Even if you truly weren’t any good at your craft, if you believed you were, you could work on it," he said. "As I got older I realized that was a great gift that I got from my folks. They truly believed in the John Kennedy mantra of going to the moon. ‘Yeah, of course you can go to the moon. Just go, Johnny.’ And there I went.” The musician recalled how his parents supported his dreams by allowing him to take gigs when he was 17. "They were always supportive of me, which in retrospect, was incredible. Because I could get home at one or two in the morning, and have to still be in school by eight o’clock. They just said, show up on time for school, you know that is your responsibility, but pursue your dream," he said. Jon Bon Jovi. John Nacion/Getty Carol is survived by her husband of 63 years, their three sons and daughters-in-law: Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi, Anthony and Nina Yang Bongiovi, and Matthew and Desiree Bongiovi, as well as her eight loving grandchildren. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. All funeral services will be private. Holmdel Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Close