Dolly Parton was laid to rest in Nashville on Aug. 28 in a private funeral attended only by immediate family, her great-niece Lainey Parton revealed.
Parton’s family honored her request for a small, private service following her death, according to statements provided to PEOPLE.
The funeral took place at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, the same cemetery where her husband, Carl Dean, was interred after his death in March 2025.
The service was followed by an emotional tribute from Lainey Parton, who referred to the country music icon as “Aunt Granny.”
In an Instagram post published Aug. 29, Lainey explained that she waited until after the funeral before putting her grief into words.
Rather than focusing only on Parton’s public career, Lainey described the personal encouragement she received from her famous relative.
She said Parton consistently made her feel capable of pursuing ambitious goals and supported her decision to attend beauty school instead of college.
Lainey also recalled a defining musical experience: Parton invited her to sing on the Smoky Mountain DNA album while Lainey was a freshman in high school.
She said the opportunity helped her feel confident and included alongside her great-aunt. According to Lainey, Parton’s support extended beyond encouragement.
She said Dolly financially helped her through beauty school and assisted as she began her career. Lainey also mentioned sharing other experiences with Parton, including appearing in a movie with her.
Parton died Aug. 25 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, four days after she was admitted there. Her representatives said she had faced a “brief battle with cancer,” although they did not disclose the type of cancer.
Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death on Instagram. Representatives said Parton was surrounded by loved ones when she died and described her career as one devoted to bringing joy, hope and generosity to others.
Parton’s legacy extends beyond her seven decade music and songwriting career. Her representatives highlighted her philanthropic work, including the Imagination Library, the book-gifting organization she founded, as part of her lasting impact.
Parton had also been publicly focused on continuing her work late in life. Her final public appearance came in June at the grand opening of her themed truck stop in Tennessee.
Lainey’s tribute emphasized the relationship behind Parton’s public image. She wrote that she would miss her great-aunt’s voice, laughter and hugs, as well as their late night and early morning calls.
Woodlawn Memorial Park’s obituary described Parton as an enduring source of inspiration through her music, songwriting, warmth and charitable work.
Parton’s representatives previously asked fans who wanted to honor her memory to share tributes online or support the Imagination Library through donations, rather than attending a public funeral.
Sources
PEOPLE, Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum; Lainey Parton’s Instagram tribute; statement from Dolly Parton’s representatives.
