Kathryn Joosten (December 20, 1939 – June 1, 2012) was an American television actress best known for her regular role as Karen McCluskey in Desperate Housewives, for which she won two Emmy Awards, and for her recurring role in The West Wing as Dolores Landingham.
In 2005 and 2008, Joosten won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress – Comedy Series for her portrayal of Karen McCluskey in Desperate Housewives.
In 2001, she quit her 45 year smoking habit when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. In September 2009, Joosten was diagnosed with lung cancer for a second time. She subsequently underwent surgery and four rounds of chemotherapy, and was officially declared cancer-free in January 2010.
Kathryn Joosten cause of death
Joosten subsequently died of lung cancer on June 1, 2012. Her death followed, by a few weeks, the on-screen death of her character Karen McCluskey on the final episode of Desperate Housewives.