Dolly Parton to Have Private Family Funeral

Dolly Parton’s funeral will be a small, private service for immediate family, according to her publicity team. The ceremony is expected to take place in Nashville in the coming days, at Parton’s request.

Parton is expected to be buried beside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum. Her family has asked fans to make donations to her Imagination Library program instead of sending flowers.

Parton’s team also encouraged fans around the world to honor her by sharing tributes on social media or leaving messages on her website.

The country music icon died Tuesday at age 80, following health problems that reportedly included kidney and autoimmune issues. In the days before her death, Parton had spoken publicly about health issues she had previously overlooked while caring for Dean, who died in March 2025 at age 82.

Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, said Parton had requested to be laid to rest on a bed of plush cotton. He also said she had asked him years earlier to make a video announcement about her death when the time came.