Actress Kathryn Joosten dead at 72

Jun 04, 2012 by Ian Evans

Kathryn Joosten, pictured here at the SAG Awards in 2008 has dies at the age of 72. ©2008 DigitalHit.com. All rights reserved. Photographer: Christine Lambert

Desperate Housewives’ Kathryn Joosten, who won two Emmy awards for her supporting role as the nosy Karen McCluskey, died of lung cancer on Saturday. She was 72.

Joosten, who also played Martin Sheen’s secretary on The West Wing, began her acting career later in life after working as a psychiatric nurse. She began her performing career at Disney World in the early 1990’s before landing roles on shows like Murphy Brown and Frasier.