On Friday, December 13, Jeannie Seely, country legend, confirmed via a statement that her husband, Gene Ward, died at the age of 92. He had been battling cancer which, unfortunately, came back around Thanksgiving. Ward died at a care center in Nashville, according to Taste of Country.
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On Saturday, December 14, Seely posted two pictures of a Nashville sunrise on
Facebook. "Gene's first morning in Heaven," the post said, confirming the tragic news to her followers and fans. The post was quickly flooded with words of support, love, and condolences."So, so sorry for your loss. Praying so hard for you and your family, Mrs.Jeannie," one user wrote. "So so sorry for your loss. He's sitting around gods golden throne with no pain no sadness and no sorrow," a second user wrote. A third one said: "Your Opry family loves you so much Jeannie Seely! We are praying and thinking of you during such a difficult time. Gene was one of the best around."
Declining Health
While it was confirmed that Gene Ward's cause of death stemmed from cancer, Seely previously shared that Ward was having some health issues on Thanksgiving. "Good morning everyone. It's been awhile for me to get this together," Seely said in a
Facebook post on December 11. "Thanksgiving morning Gene asked me to call 911 as he was having chest pains and couldn't breathe. At St. Thomas Hospital they also confirmed that cancer is back."Ward was then transferred to Lifecare in Old Hickory where he received treatment and care. "His boys, Gregg, Kevin and Shane are the best," Seely continued. "We would be grateful for extra prayers. Gene Ward is one of the most amazing men I have ever known and I have been so blessed to be his wife. The river and I have been in tears."
Seely married Ward on November 20, 2010. Born in Tennessee, Ward studied law at the University of Tennessee College of Law. He would go on to become the Vice President and General Counsel at Nashville Electric Service and served in various public service roles throughout his career. Eight years after their marriage, in 2018, Ward started experiencing health issues, all shared by Seely, asking for prayers.
