Karen Pendleton, one of the original Mouseketeers, died from a heart attack on Sunday, October 6, 2019. She was 73 years old.

Pendleton was one of the younger kids on The Mickey Mouse Club, recognized for her pairing with Cubby O’Brien on the show’s closing number “Alma Mater.” She worked on the Disney show during its four-year run in 1955 to 1959 as one of the few kids to appear during the entire original airing.

Born in Glendale, California on August 1, 1946, Pendleton auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club when producers were recruiting talent from dancing schools in LA.

She left show business after completing her time on The Mickey Mouse Club. She earned master’s degrees, worked at a shelter for abused women, and was an advocate for those with disabilities as a board member for the California Association of the Physically Handicapped.

She also co-starred in many of the Mickey Mouse Club reunion shows and Disneyland parades, as well as fan shows and conventions.