Gene Ward (born September 28, 1932, White Pine, Tennessee – died December 13, 2024, Nashville) was a distinguished attorney, public servant, community leader and for the last 14 years of his life, the devoted husband of country music icon Jeannie Seely.
Gene Ward – Career
Gene Ward, originally from White Pine, Tennessee, was a standout student leader as class president, debate captain, and multi-sport athlete. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Lincoln Memorial University in 1956, supporting himself through dining hall and dairy farm work, then received a scholarship to the University of Tennessee College of Law, graduating with a J.D. in 1959. He began his legal career in private practice and joined the Tennessee Public Service Commission in 1961 as Assistant General Counsel, later becoming General Counsel and serving as an Administrative Law Judge on nearly 400 cases until 1980. That year he joined Nashville Electric Service (NES) as staff attorney and rose to General Counsel and Vice President in 1986, representing the utility before the Tennessee legislature and U.S. Congress until his retirement in 2011. His public service earned him numerous honors, including the naming of the Eugene “Mose” Ward Overpass on I‑81 in 1976, induction into Lincoln Memorial University’s Professional Hall of Fame in 2005, and a formal civic proclamation from Nashville’s mayor. He was deeply active in community and civic life, participating in Hermitage Hills Baptist Church, the Leadvale Masonic Lodge, the Al Menah Shrine Temple, and serving on boards such as the Donelson‑Hermitage Chamber of Commerce, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Issues Committee, ASCAP, and the Country Music Association.
Gene Ward – Personal life
Marriage & Relationship
Ward and Jeannie Seely married in 2010, bringing together his steady rootedness and her fiery artistry. In 2019, they renewed their vows during a country music cruise—a moment Seely shared publicly, remarking how sharp Gene looked in his suit and how their renewal meant something special for fans to witness .
Family
Gene is survived by Jeannie, his children Judy Olive, Johnny Myers (Wanda), Kevin Ward (Beth) and a large extended family of grandchildren, great‑grandchildren and even a great‑great grandchild. Also remembered fondly is his calico cat, Corrie.
Legacy Reflection by Jeannie
Reflecting on Gene’s passing, Seely said: “My heart is broken now, but I am so grateful for the 15 years I had with Gene. … My love and respect for him grew daily … it continues as I learn how much he touched the lives of so many…” She added poignantly: “He didn’t ‘lose his battle with cancer’; he defied it by gaining his wings. The Counselor never lost a case.”
Gene Ward – Death
On December 13, 2024, at the age of 92, Gene Ward passed away at the Life Care Center of Old Hickory Village in Nashville after a cancer diagnosis. A visitation and memorial service was held on December 19, 2024, with suggestions for memorial donations to Shriner’s Hospital for Children or the Opry Trust Fund instead of flowers.
Wife death
His wife Jeannie Seely, Grammy-winning country singer and longtime Grand Ole Opry member, passed away on August 1, 2025, at the age of 85 after a brief illness. Known as “Miss Country Soul,” she was a trailblazer for women in country music and remained active in her career into her 80s. Her death came just eight months after the passing of her husband, Gene Ward, in December 2024.
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