Country music star Dolly Parton was laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Carl Dean, we’re told during a private funeral service in Nashville on Friday, August 28, according to family statements and sources cited by Page Six. The singer died on August 25 at age 80 following a “brief battle” with unspecified cancer, prompting tributes from fans and an outpouring of emotional remembrances from her extended family.
Family Gathers for Private Nashville Service at Woodlawn Memorial Park
Members of the Parton and Owens family gathered on Friday at the Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville to farewell the singer. According to a source cited by Page Six, the burial was kept intentionally intimate. Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew and head of security, was in charge of arrangements for what sources described as a very simple ceremony because that’s all Dolly wanted.
Parton — who died Tuesday at age 80 following a “brief battle” with unspecified cancer — was laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Carl Dean, we’re told. The longtime couple were married for 58 years before he died last March at age 82. The lovers famously met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day a then-18-year-old Parton moved to Music City. Dean was 21 at the time.
Niece Lainey Parton Shares Heartfelt Tribute on Social Media
Niece Lainey Mae Parton confirmed the burial timeline in an emotional Instagram post on Saturday, sharing a carousel of photographs featuring her aunt. Writing to her followers, Lainey explained that she waited until after her granny was laid to rest before putting her grief into words.
“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough,” Lainey wrote on Instagram, noting that because Parton could not have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers. Lainey detailed how Parton financially supported her through school and helped her get her career started, including the time she asked Lainey to sing on the Smokey Mountain album during her high school years, building her confidence every step of the way.
Nephew Brian Seaver Announces Passing
Parton’s death was announced in a video by her nephew Brian Seaver, which was followed by an official statement from the family. Speaking on behalf of the Parton and Owens family, Seaver explained that the video announcement fulfilled a request Parton asked of him years ago, before he fully absorbed it as a future reality.
“It is an honour, an honour that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness,” Seaver said in the announcement. In a secondary statement, the family requested that mourners forego sending flowers and instead make donations to Parton’s Imagination Library, which gifts about 3 million books to kids worldwide each month.
Did You Know?
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library gifts about 3 million books to kids worldwide each month.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Dolly Parton laid to rest?
According to her niece Lainey Mae Parton and sources reporting to Page Six, Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday, August 28.
Where is Dolly Parton buried?
Parton was laid to rest at the Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, resting beside her husband, Carl Dean.
Who organized the funeral arrangements?
Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew and head of security, was in charge of arrangements.
Where should fans send donations in lieu of flowers?
The family requested that anyone thinking of sending flowers, to instead donate to Parton’s Imagination Library.
Explore More: Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up!
Worth a look