Country music icon Dolly Parton has been laid to rest in a private ceremony, according to confirmation from her family. The service, held at the request of the late singer, was reserved exclusively for immediate relatives.
Lainey Mae Parton, the singer’s niece, shared an emotional tribute on Instagram on Saturday, Aug. 29. She explained that she waited to post the message until after her aunt had been laid to rest the previous day. Reflecting on the loss, she wrote, “It still doesn’t feel real that she’s gone. I’m going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there. I’m even going to miss those 4 AM calls, and I’d give anything to see her name pop up on my phone again.”
Parton, who was 80, passed away on Aug. 25 at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville following a brief battle with cancer. While her diagnosis had not been publicly disclosed, she had faced various health challenges over the past year, including digestive and immune system issues. These complications led her to cancel a public appearance at Dollywood on Aug. 14, when she was advised by doctors to avoid travel due to dizziness and dehydration.
Her nephew, Bryan Seaver, confirmed that the burial took place at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, where she was laid to rest beside her husband, Carl Dean, who died in 2025. Seaver had announced her passing on Aug. 25 via a social media video, noting that he was fulfilling a request Parton had made years earlier. He described the experience as an honor mixed with profound sadness, adding, “Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens.”
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be directed to Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that provides free books to children from birth to age 5. The singer, who was the fourth oldest of 12 siblings, was married to Dean for nearly 60 years.
Lainey Mae Parton’s tribute also highlighted the deep personal bond she shared with her aunt. “Because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers. She loved us that way, and I’ll forever be grateful for that,” she wrote. She recalled the experience of recording with Parton for the 2024 album “Smoky Mountain DNA,” noting that the icon made her feel safe and confident despite her initial nervousness as a high school freshman.
The tribute further emphasized Parton’s role as a mentor and supporter. When Lainey Mae expressed an interest in beauty school rather than college, she recalled that her aunt never questioned the decision. “She told me she couldn’t see me doing anything else. She financially supported me through school and helped me get my career started. She didn’t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there,” she added. The report also notes that has reached out to Parton’s estate for confirmation. The report also notes that 25 in a social media video, which he said was “something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. The report also notes that parton came from a large family and was the fourth oldest of six brothers and six sisters. The report also notes that from 1966 until his death in 2025, she was married to Carl Dean for almost 60 years. The report also notes that but she had a way of making me feel like nothing bad could happen. The report also notes that contributing: Saman Shafiq, Clare Mulroy and Anthony Robledo.