India, Aug. 2 -- Jeannie Seely, the beloved country music icon aka 'Miss Country Soul,' passed away just eight months after saying goodbye to her longtime partner in life, Eugene Ward.

Ward, who was 92, died in December at the Life Care Center of Old Hickory Village in Nashville following a battle with cancer. His passing marked a quiet end to a love story that spanned over 15 years - one that Seely often described as a source of immense comfort and joy in her later life.

"My heart is broken now, but I am so grateful for the 15 years I had with Gene," Seely told People Magazine at that time.

Ward had largely stayed out of the spotlight, now survived by the three children, Judy Olive, Johnny Myers, and Keven Ward from the previous marri...