Editing Merle Haggard (section)

==Personal life==
===Wives and children===
Haggard was married five times, first to Leona Hobbs from 1956 to 1964. They had four children: Dana, [[Marty Haggard|Marty]], Kelli, and [[Noel Haggard|Noel]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Swenson|first=Steve|title=Haggard's ex-wife dies|newspaper=Bakersfield Californian |location=Bakersfield, CA|date=July 15, 2006|url=http://www.bakersfield.com/news/2006/07/16/haggard-s-ex-wife-dies.html |access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref>

Shortly after divorcing Hobbs, in 1965, he married singer [[Bonnie Owens]], the former wife of [[Buck Owens]].<ref name="Bonnie Owens Obituary">{{cite news |last=Chawkins |first=Steve|title=Bonnie Owens, 76; Singer and Ex-Wife of 2 Country Stars|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|location=Los Angeles, CA |date=April 26, 2006|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-apr-26-me-owens26-story.html|access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref> Haggard credited her with helping him make his big break as a country artist. He shared the writing credit with Owens for his hit "[[Today I Started Loving You Again]]" and acknowledged, including on stage, that the song was about a sudden burst of special feelings he experienced for her while they were touring together. She also helped care for Haggard's children from his first marriage and was the maid of honor for Haggard's third marriage. Haggard and Owens divorced in 1978 but remained close friends as Owens continued as his backing vocalist until her death in 2006.<ref name="Bonnie Owens Obituary" />

In 1978, Haggard married [[Leona Williams]]. In 1983, they divorced.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/artists/leona-williams/biography/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010211407/http://www.cmt.com/artists/leona-williams/biography/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 10, 2014|title=Leona Williams Biography|website=[[CMT (American TV channel)|CMT]]|publisher=CMT|access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref> In 1985 Haggard married Debbie Parret; they divorced in 1991.<ref name = "The Fighter">{{cite magazine|last=Fine|first=Jason|title=The Fighter: The Life & Times of Merle Haggard|date=October 1, 2009 |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-fighter-the-life-times-of-merle-haggard-20091001|access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref> He married his fifth wife, Theresa Ann Lane, on September 11, 1993. They had two children, Jenessa and Ben.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/merle-haggard-theresa-ann-lane-country-love-stories/|title=Marle Haggard + Theresa Ann Lane—Country's Greatest Love Stories|website=boots.com|access-date=April 6, 2016}}</ref>

===Cigarette and drug use===
Haggard said he started smoking marijuana in 1978, when he was 41 years old. He admitted that in 1983, he bought "$2,000 (worth) of cocaine" and partied for five months afterward, when he said he finally realized his condition and quit for good.<ref name=heath>{{Citation|last=Heath|first=Chris|title=The Last Outlaw|magazine=[[Gentleman's Quarterly]]|date=November 2005|url=https://www.gq.com/images/gq/asme/pdf/TheLastOutlaw.pdf|access-date=July 21, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711121434/http://www.gq.com/images/gq/asme/pdf/TheLastOutlaw.pdf|archive-date=July 11, 2011}}</ref> He quit smoking cigarettes in 1991, and stopped smoking marijuana in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.concertlivewire.com/interviews/merle.htm|title=Merle Haggard Interview – One on One|publisher=Concertlivewire.com|access-date=July 3, 2013}}</ref> However, a ''Rolling Stone'' magazine interview in 2009 indicated that he had resumed regular marijuana smoking.<ref name="The Fighter" />

===Illness and death===
Haggard underwent [[angioplasty]] in 1995 to unblock clogged arteries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/pdgraphics/index.ssf/2016/04/merle_haggard_an_okies_recolle.html|title=Merle Haggard: An Okie's Recollection|last=Crutchmer|first=Josh|date=April 7, 2016|website=cleveland.com|access-date=April 7, 2016}}</ref> On November 9, 2008, it was announced that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer in May and undergone surgery on November 3, during which part of his lung was removed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-haggard/country-star-merle-haggard-battling-lung-cancer-idUSTRE4A90B220081110|title=  Country star Merle Haggard battling lung cancer|date=9 November 2008|work=Reuters|access-date=6 April 2020}}</ref> Haggard returned home on November 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5939127_,00.html |title=Merle Haggard Bouncing Back: Great American Country |publisher=Gactv.com |date=November 10, 2008 |access-date=June 2, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123143755/http://www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5939127_,00.html |archive-date=January 23, 2013 }}</ref> Less than two months after his cancer surgery, he played two shows on January 2 and 3, 2009, in Bakersfield at [[Buck Owens Crystal Palace]], and continued to tour and record until shortly before his death.

On December 5, 2015, Haggard was treated at an undisclosed hospital in California for [[pneumonia]].<ref name="pneumonia">{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/merle-haggard-hospitalized-postpones-shows-20151204|title=Merle Haggard Hospitalized, Postpones Shows|publisher=Rolling Stone.com|access-date=December 6, 2015|date=December 6, 2015|author=Stephen L. Betts}}</ref> He made a recovery, but postponed several concerts.<ref name="pneumonia" />

In March 2016, Haggard was once again hospitalized.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inquisitr.com/2849800/merle-haggard-hospitalized-country-music-legend-forced-to-cancel-tour-dates/|title=Merle Haggard Hospitalized, Country Music Legend Forced To Cancel Tour Dates|date=March 3, 2016|publisher=Inquistr.com|access-date=March 20, 2016}}</ref> His concerts for April were canceled due to his ongoing double pneumonia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fox4kc.com/2016/03/29/willie-nelson-concert-in-independence-will-go-on-without-merle-haggard/|title=Willie Nelson concert in Independence will go on without Merle Haggard|work=fox4kc.com|date=March 29, 2016}}</ref> On the morning of April 6, 2016, his 79th birthday, he died of complications from pneumonia at his home in [[Palo Cedro, California|Palo Cedro]], [[Shasta County, California]].<ref name=nytobit /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/country-music-legend-merle-haggard-turned-79-years-old-wednesday|title=Country Music Legend Merle Haggard dies at 79|work=23ABC News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406180006/http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/country-music-legend-merle-haggard-turned-79-years-old-wednesday|archive-date=April 6, 2016|access-date=April 6, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Anderson |first=Danielle |date=April 6, 2016 |title=Merle Haggard's Son Ben: My Dad Predicted He'd Die on 'His Birthday – and He Wasn't Wrong' |url=http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20981907_20998577,00.html |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |location=United States |access-date=April 7, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407165430/http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0%2C%2C20981907_20998577%2C00.html |archive-date=April 7, 2016 }}</ref> Haggard was buried in a private funeral at his ranch on April 9, 2016; longtime friend [[Marty Stuart]] officiated.<ref>[http://www.hallels.com/articles/15146/20160412/merle-haggard-was-laid-to-rest-on-saturday.htm Merle Haggard was laid to rest on Saturday] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415115411/http://www.hallels.com/articles/15146/20160412/merle-haggard-was-laid-to-rest-on-saturday.htm |date=April 15, 2016 }}, hallels.com; accessed August 17, 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Price|first1=Robert|title=Haggard laid to rest in private service|url=http://www.bakersfield.com/news/2016/04/09/haggard-laid-to-rest-in-private-service.html|access-date=April 13, 2016|work=The Bakersfield Californian|date=April 9, 2016}}</ref>