[Firewire]

Desperate Housewives and West Wing star Kathryn Joosten has died at the age of 72.

Joosten passed away yesterday in Westlake Village, California, reports TVLine. She had previously suffered from lung cancer, but at present her cause of death is unknown.

The actress portrayed Karen McCluskey on the hit ABC series, and appeared in all eight seasons of the show.

Joosten received Emmys in 2005 and 2008 for 'Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy' for her role as Wysteria Lane's trouble-making babysitter, with Joosten claiming that people found the character "relatable to every family".

Joosten was also famous for her role on The West Wing as Delores Landringham, Secretary of State to Martin Sheen's President Josiah Bartlett.

A latecomer to showbusiness, Joosten did not begin taking acting classes until the age of 42, after previously working as a psychiatric nurse.

Her TV career saw her take roles in Roseanne, Home Improvement, ER, Seinfeld, Frasier, Just Shoot Me!, Scrubs and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

RIP

It's nice she got to see the show out though, considering Marc Cherry always promised her that she would never be killed off... she got to end it and see the last episode which is very nice.

[Shaun]

Mrs McCluskey best character on the show tbh

[Toxic]

Nooooo! I love her, I can't believe she's dead

So weird to think millions just watched her 'die' of the exact same disease on screen 2 weeks ago...

[LaLaLand]

Awww R.I.P. McCluskey!

[Shanna]

Aww...I loved her character on the show...(haven't seen the last few eps of last season, must catch up actually). (

[Marsh.]

That'll make the last episode on E4 a little ironic.

R.I.P.

[Saph]

Its a shame

In a way, it's kind of lucky the series ended when it did :s

[Marc]

Aw she dies in the show as well, doesn't she?