One of the Original Mouseketeers Has Died at 73

Karen Pendleton, one of the original Mouseketeers on TV’s “The Mickey Mouse Club,” has died at the age of 73.

Pendleton died Sunday at her home in Fresno, California from a heart attack, according to her daughter, Staci Bletscher.

Her passing comes just months after the death of another original Mouseketeer, Dennis Day (click here for our coverage on that). His body was found in April, and a suspect is under arrest, as foul play is suspected.

Pendleton was only nine years old as one of the original nine Mousketeers on “The Mickey Mouse Club” when it premiered in October of 1955.

Her authenticity stood out among Walt Disney and the creators of the show, as she was one of the youngest members of the cast. In 1995, she told The Los Angeles Times “They were really trying to find kids who were really down to earth — not real, real professional.”

Pendleton stayed on the show until it ended in 1959. She did not work in the entertainment industry again, only making appearances with other Mousketeers in later years.

She married, had a daughter, and worked for the Prudential Life Insurance Company of America. In 1983, she was in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She would later earn a master’s degree in psychology from California State University in Fresno.

She was an advocate for disability rights and served on the board of the California Association of the Physically Handicapped. She counseled at a shelter for abused women.

In addition to her daughter, she is survived by two grandchildren.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Karen Pendleton.