Who was Jeannie Seely married to? All about her family as country music legend passes away at 85

Grammy-winning country singer Jeannie Seely has passed away at 85. A rep for the Seely confirmed the unfortunate news in a statement made to People magazine, adding she died on Friday, August 1, 2025, at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee.

Per the outlet, she died as a result of complications from an intestinal infection. Notably, in May, the singer revealed she had been dealing with multiple health issues for most of 2025. This included undergoing multiple back surgeries, two emergency abdominal surgeries, and a bout of pneumonia, and she even spent two weeks in the ICU.

Seely's passing comes eight months after she lost her husband, Eugene Ward, to cancer. At the time, she issued a statement, writing:

"My heart is broken now, but I am so grateful for the 15 years I had with Gene. I knew he was a good man when I married him, but as I experienced life with him, I learned he was a really great man."

Jeannie Seely married country songwriter Hank Cochran in 1969

Jeannie Seely was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania. She found her love for country music as a child. Her mother, a homemaker loved singing, while her father, a farmer, played the banjo.

The youngest of four children, Seely and her family spent countless hours listening to their favorite programs on the Grand Ole Opry (radio) every Saturday night. Back in 2022, the Don't Touch Me hitmaker told People magazine she knew she wanted to be a country singer at 8, saying:

"Actually, I knew at 8 years old what I wanted to be. And I knew I wanted to be at the Opry."

Per the outlet, Jeannie Seely began performing at age 11. After graduating from high school, she briefly worked as a stenographer. She moved to California in 1961 to pursue a career in music. She initially worked with a bank before taking a job as a secretary at Imperial Records. Seely soon began writing and recording.

By 1965, Seely had signed with Nashville’s Monument Records. A year later, she released her 1996 hit ballad Don't Touch Me, written by her future husband, Hank Cochran, per Deadline.

The track peaked at No. 2 on Hot Country Singles and even earned Jeannie a Grammy Award.

Jeannie Seely married Hank Cochran in 1969 (she was his fourth wife). While not much is known about their private life, she named her 1967 album, Thanks, Hank!, after him, for he penned all its songs. The pair separated in the late 1970s, divorcing by 1981.

While they didn't share children, Seely was stepmom to Cochran's three sons.

Cochran has written hits for singers like Patsy Cline, Ray Price, and Eddy Arnold, among others. He also recorded songs like Sally Was a Good Old Girl. He passed away in 2010. The Country Music Hall of Fame inducted him four years later.

According to Country Now, Jeannie Seely married Nashville-based attorney Eugene "Gene" Ward in 2010. Ward held a B.S. in Business Administration from Lincoln Memorial University and a J.D. degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

He worked for both private firms and in the public sector. Ward dedicated his free time to helping others through his church and various community organizations like Leadvale Masonic Lodge and Al Menah Shrine Temple.

According to People, Ward was inducted into the Lincoln Memorial University’s Professional Hall of Fame. Further, Freddie O'Connell, the mayor of Nashville, has recognized him for his public service. He passed away in December 2010 after a cancer diagnosis. He was 92.

Some of Jeannie Seely's memorable hits include A Wanderin' Man, Wish I Didn't Have to Miss You, and I'll Love You More (Than You'll Need). She became the first woman to host the Grand Ole Opry.

She boasts nearly 5,400 appearances at the radio station. Seely received a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in 2018.

There is no official word on the funeral and memorial service as of this writing.