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Dolly Parton was laid to rest in a private family service on Friday, August 28, three days after her death at 80.
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She was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, beside her late husband, Carl Dean.
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Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, said she wanted to be buried in a “beautiful bed of plush cotton” after years of wearing heavy rhinestones.
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Her great-niece, Lainey Mae Parton, confirmed the burial in an emotional tribute, while the family has encouraged fans who wish to honour Dolly to donate to her Imagination Library instead of sending flowers.
August 31, (THEWILL) — Country music icon Dolly Parton has been laid to rest in a private service attended only by immediate family, three days after her death at age 80.
Parton was laid to rest on Friday, August 28, in Nashville, Tennessee. Her great-niece, Lainey Mae Parton, confirmed the burial in an emotional social media post the following day.
The private service was held according to Parton’s wishes.
She was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum, where her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, was buried after his death in March 2025.
Parton died on August 25 after what her representatives described as a “brief battle with cancer.” She died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, surrounded by loved ones.
The family has kept details of the service private, respecting Parton’s wish for a small farewell attended only by immediate family.
Before her death, Parton had also shared her wishes for her final resting place.
Her nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver, who announced her death, said she wanted to rest in a “beautiful bed of plush cotton” after spending years wearing heavy rhinestones.
Parton had also requested that the gospel hymn “If We Never Meet Again” be sung at her funeral. The song was also performed at her father, Lee Parton’s, funeral in 2000.
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Lainey shared the news of the burial in an emotional tribute to her great-aunt, whom she described as a loving grandmother who always supported her dreams.
In her tribute, Lainey said Dolly always made everyone in the family feel like they were enough and praised her unconditional love.
She recalled how Parton helped pay for her beauty school education and supported her career. Lainey also remembered singing with Dolly on the “Smoky Mountain DNA” album while she was still in high school.
“It still doesn’t feel real that she’s gone,” Lainey wrote, adding that she would miss Parton’s voice, laughter, hugs and early-morning calls.
Fans and friends who want to honour Parton have been encouraged to donate to her Imagination Library, the book-gifting organization that became a major part of her charitable legacy.
Parton’s death has drawn tributes from across the entertainment industry, while her family has continued to keep the details of her final farewell private.
Through her music, films, business ventures and charitable work, Parton leaves behind a lasting legacy that touched generations of fans around the world.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
