Emmy-winning character actress Kathryn Joosten, whose death scene as gossipy neighbor Karen McCluskey packed a huge punch in the recent series finale of Desperate Housewives, died Saturday of lung cancer in Westlake Village, California, NBC News reported. She was 72.
"Her family was with her," Nadine Jolson, Joosten's representative, was quoted as saying. "Funeral arrangements are pending. This is a terrible loss, and she fought as hard as she could."
She was in the voice cast of the 2004 Father of the Pride episode Catnip and Trust, and voiced Hazel in the 2001 The Cleveland Show episode Sex and the Biddy.
Born in Eustis, Florida on December 20, 1939, Josten started her acting career at 42 after working for many years as a psychiatric nurse, NBC News said.
In 2005 and 2008, Joosten won the Emmys for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy for her role on Desperate Housewives.
Before joining DH, she appeared on Dharma and Greg, My Name is Earl and Ally McBeal. She also won plaudits for portraying Mrs. Landingham, the president's secretary and friend, in The West Wing.
