Mike Seeger was diagnosed with leukemia nearly a decade ago. He underwent treatment for that condition while continuing to perform, record and teach. In July of 2009, a subsequent diagnosis showed that he had developed a second cancer, multiple myeloma. In the same forthright manner in which he had always lived his life he prepared for his death, refusing additional treatment and choosing instead to enter home hospice care. He died at his home in Lexington, VA, surrounded by his wife, his sons, and his sister.