Millions of fans and lovers of country music across continents, mourn and celebrate the passing of the country music icon, Dolly Parton, at age 80
By Patrick Ogboru
The family of Dolly Parton said the real reason the country music icon was laid to rest in a private service instead of a large public funeral, which many fans called for, was due to her (Dolly) request before she died.
The music icon, who was 80, was buried at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum just three days after she died on August 25, 2026.
Parton was interred at the side of her husband Carl Thomas Dean in a service attended by only a handful of those closest to her, in accordance with her final wishes.
Parton’s cousin Richie Owens said the word “funeral” didn’t really describe the quiet, intimate service she asked for.
Owens said, “It was a burial. She wanted to be buried beside her husband, and she wanted it very small.
“A few family members were there. Other people, I’m sure, would have liked to have been there, were either out doing other things and stuff.
“It was very quiet, very quickly done and not for any bad reasons whatsoever. It’s just what she wanted. She wanted to keep it very, very private.”
Though many fans and mourners would have liked to pay their respects to Parton at a public service, Owens said that just wasn’t his cousin’s style.
Instead, she would have wanted people to take inspiration from her own passion for charitable causes and donate in her name.
“She would much rather see people take that $50 they were going to spend on flowers and give it to her Imagination Library,” he said.
Imagination Library is a charitable book gifting program Parton established to help make sure every child got the chance to read.
News of Parton’s burial came just one day after fresh details about her brief cancer battle were made public.
The Jolene singer’s niece Jada Star revealed in an interview that it was Parton’s choice to keep her diagnosis private.
“She never wanted to worry anybody. So I think it was just a shock,” Star said.
She said the outpouring of public love for Parton had helped the family deal with her death, but added that her aunt would want them to carry on without her.
“I can’t remember a life without her. She would also tell us to start drying it up and start trying to get back to work and love each other real hard. She was just a trip.”
