Kathryn Joosten, ‘Desperate Housewives’ Star, Dead At 72

Kathryn Joosten, the actress who played Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives, passed away this morning after a long battle with lung cancer.

Joosten passed away surrounded by family and friends. She was 72.

Nadine Jolson, Joosten’s rep, told E!:

“Kathryn passed away this morning after a valiant fight against her cancer… Her family was with her. Funeral arrangements are pending. This is a terrible loss, and she fought as hard as she could.”

Joosten, who has appeared on shows like The West Wing, Malcolm In The Middle, Scrubs, and My Name Is Earl, found her most critically acclaimed role on Desperate Housewives. Joosten played a gossipy neighbor on the show and was nominated for three Emmy awards for her performance. She won the award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy twice, in 2005 and 2008.

MTV notes that Joosten’s character died during the final season of the show.

Extra reports that Joosen worked as a psychiatric nurse in Illinois for years before deciding to pursue an acting career. She moved to LA in 1995 and picked up roles in shows like Family Matters and NYPD Blue. In 1999 she scored a role as the President’s secretary in the critically acclaimed show, The West Wing.

Here’s a video of Joosten talking about her character’s struggles, as well as her own, with lung cancer.