Joosten is survived by her two sons, Jonathan and Timothy, and two grandsons.

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Joosten's performance earned her two Emmy awards, in 2005 and 2008, for outstanding guest actress in a comedy series.

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"I have no fear of delving into this storyline, " Joosten said.

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According to information from her publicist Nadine Jolson, Joosten embraced the "Desperate Housewives" plot that called for her to be diagnosed with -- and eventually succumb to -- lung cancer in the series' final season.

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