Desperate Housewives' Kathryn Joosten passes away

Emmy award winner Kathryn Joosten passed away on Saturday. The 72-year old actress lost her battle against lung cancer.

Kathryn, known best for her roles as neighbor Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives and secretary Mrs. Landingham The West Wing, was surrounded by family and friends in her final hours in Westlake Village, California. Her rep, Nadina Jolson, told E! News, "Kathryn passed away this morning after a valiant fight against her cancer. Her family was with her. Funeral arrangements are pending. This is a terrible loss, and she fought as hard as she could."

Kathryn Joosten © Jonathan Leibson/FilmMagic

Kathryn was survived by her two sons, Jonathan and Timothy, their wives and two grandsons, Jon Henry and Evan James. The statement released by the family reads, "The family of Kathryn Joosten, two-times Emmy winner, long time Governor of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, lung cancer advocate, and so much more, regrets to announcy that Kathryn succumbed to her 11-year battle with lung cancer today, June 2, 2012, surrounded by love and humor til the end. Thanks to everyone for their love and support. We are laughing through our tears. We love you, Kathy, thanks for everything."

The actress, a former smoker, survived lung cancer in 2001 and had another cancerous growth removed from her lung in 2009.

The Emmy winner didn't start her acting career until she was 42, up until that point she worked as a psychiatric nurse. First she mainly got small roles in Dharma and Greg, My Name is Earl, and Ally McBeal. However, her role as plucky neighbor Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives' Wisteria Lane earned her the Outstanding Guest Actress Emmy both in 2005 and in 2008. Series creator Marc Cherry said of her character, "The character of Mrs. McCluskey was created for a single episode. We then cast Kathryn Joosten and she infused the part with so much feisty wit and curmudgeonly bravado, we knew we had to move her onto Wisteria Lane for the run of the series." When news of her passing broke, Marc Cherry said, "I will forever miss her, as a co-worker and as a friend."  Felicity Huffman tweeted, "All my pareyers and love to Katherine (sic) Joosten's family. Rest in peace, she was an amazing woman and a wonderful actress."

Barry Gibb pays tribute to his late brother Robin

Robin Gibb

Barry Gibb has put together a video montage to honour his late brother Robin Gibb. Robin died last Sunday.  Barry, 65, posted a link to the video titled 'Bodding' on his Twitter page. Bodding was Robin Gibb's nickname. The touching tribute is a compilation of photographs spanning the Gibb's early childhood and their later successes. The first photo is of their parents' wedding.

Wedding photo of the Gibb brothers' parents

The video, laid over the Bee Gees song 'Heart Like Mine', shows exclusive footage of all three brothers at home and on tour, spanning over 50 years in total. The video ends with Robin waving at a crowd and giving a thumbs up, then the frame freezes and fades into a picture of Robin with the text "Bodding 1949-2012".

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb

A memorial service for the singer who died of liver and colon cancer will take place at St. Paul's Cathedral. It is said that the family is hoping that stars from the music industry will come and pay their respects in large numbers. The funeral will be held near Thame, Oxfordshire, where Robin lived with his wife Dwina.

Barry, Robin, Maurice and a young Andy Gibb

Barry and Robin's cousin Hazel Gibb-Shacklock has requested that Robin will posthumously be knighted by Queen Elizabeth. She said, "We were pushing for Robin to be knighted in the New Year's Hounours List because we were very aware that he was ill. If anyone deserves one, it's him. All three of the Bee Gees should be knighted."

Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees passed away

Robin Gibb in 1970

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb died yesterday aged 62. The singer, who sold over 200 million records and scored numerous hits with brothers Maurice and Barry, lost his battle with colon and liver cancer. The family released a statement, "The family of Robin Gibb, of the Bee Gees, announce with great sadness that Robin has passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery. The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time."

Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb in Sydney, 1999

Last month his family kept a constant vigil at his bedside, when the singer went into a 12-day coma after contracting a pneumonia following intestinal surgery. He was given just a 10 per cent chance of survival by his doctors.

Maurice, Barry and Robin Gibb

The Bee Gees consisted of Robin, his twin brother Maurice and older brother Barry. The trio scored major hits  and are perhaps best known for the smash hit Stayin' Alive of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. The originally English Gibb family moved to Australia in 1958. In the '70's they were nicknamed 'The Australian Beatles'. The youngest Gibb brother, Andy, died aged 30 from heart failure. Twins Robin and Maurice suffered the same bowel condition (a twisted intestine), a condition that took Maurice's life in 2003 and ultimately also the life of Robin. It was after bowel surgery 19 months ago that a tumour was discovered. Robin is survived by his three children Spencer, Melissa and Robin-John (aka RJ) and his wife Dwina.

Andy, Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb at Andy's 21st birthday party

Donna Summer passes away

Donna Summer in 1975 © Fotos International/Getty

The Queen of Disco is no more. Family of Donna Summers has confirmed that the 63-year old singer lost her battle with cancer and passed away yesterday morning. Family members of the 'Hot Stuff' singer have released a statement that they "are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitve time." The Boston-born star dies in Florida, where she lived in Englewood with her husband Bruce Sudano. Next Wednesday the Queen of Disco will be remembered at a public memorial in Nashville, Tennessee.

The family doesn't go into detail, but website TMZ reports that Donna Summer died of lung cancer and that she kept the extent of her illness from her fans, whilst trying to finish up her last album. Entertainment Tonight reports that the singer was diagnosed 10 months ago and had only shared the news with her husband and three children.

Donna Summers was born LaDonna Gaines in Boston. She is best known for her string of mega hits in the 1970's, including 'I Feel Love', 'Last Dance' and 'Bad Girls'. She was a five-time Grammy Award winner and the first singer to have three consecutive double albums reach the number one position on the US Billboard chart.

The singer married Helmuth Sommer in 1973 and had daughter Mimi in 1974. The marriage fell apart in 1975, but she kept an altered version of her ex-husband's last name as her stage name. She married Bruce Sudano in 1980 and together they had two daughters, Brooklyn, in 1981, and Amanda, in 1982.

Donna Summer knew many career highs, but also suffered from personal lows. After the attacks of 9/11 she suffered from depression. She was in her Manhattan apartment at the time and she once said she was "really freaked out by the horrific experiences of that day. I couldn't go out, I didn't want to talk to anybody. I had to keep the blinds down and stay in my bedroom." Friends and family eventually intervened and Donna, a born-again Christian, also found strength in her faith.

Donna Summer performing in Las Vegas, October 2011

Producer Quincy Jones has said of her passing, "Rest in Peace dead Donna Summer. Your voice was the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade." Dionne Warwick said, "My heart goes out to her husband and children. Prayers will be said to keep them strong." Aretha Franklin's statement read, "So shocking to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. In the '70s, she reigned over the disco era and kept the disco jumping. Who will forget, 'Last Dance?' [She was] a fine performer and a very nice person."

Donna Summer with Tom Jones and Dolly Parton at the Mac Davis: Sounds Like Home show

Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys passes away

Adam and his daughter Tenzin © Polaris

Adam Yauch, one of the founding members of the hip-hop formation Beastie Boys, died Friday last week in New York. Sadly he lot his three-year battle with cancer. He was only 47 years old.

Just last month Adam, under his stage name MCA, and fellow bandmates Mike 'Mike D' Diamond and Adam ' Ad-Rock' Horovitz were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, he was too ill to join his bandmates for the ceremony.

Adam, born in Brooklyn, had taught himself to play bass guitar and formed the Beastie Boys, whilst still in high school. Their first album Licensed to III, launched in 1986, was a blockbuster due to the youth anthem "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)"

In 2009 he discovered a cancerous tumour in his left salivary gland. It was caught early and described as "very treatable."  Sadly, Adam Yauch has lost this battle.

Among the tributes were Justin Timberlake's tweet, "Crushed to hear the news of Adam Yauch's passing. A true pioneer of art" and Run DMC's Reverend Run's twitter message, "I'm devastated. Praying for Adam Yauch's family from the legendary Beastie Boys. You'll be missed!"

Adam is survived by his wife, Dechen Wangdu, and 14-year old daughter, Tenzin Losel Yauch.