Dolly Parton laid to rest as sister shares tribute

Dolly Parton, the beloved country music icon, was laid to rest in a private funeral service in Nashville on Friday, August 28, 2026. The service was held in accordance with her personal wishes, following her death last week after a brief battle with cancer. Parton was buried next to her husband, Carl Dean, in a simple cotton dress and a pair of her signature high-heeled shoes. The intimate ceremony was attended by family and close friends. Parton's niece, Lainey Mae Parton, shared the news of the funeral in an emotional social media post, confirming the singer had been "laid to rest." The event was planned by Parton herself before her passing. In a 2014 interview, she had expressed a desire for the gospel hymn "If We Never Meet Again This Side Of Heaven," a favorite of her father's, to be sung at her service. In the days following the funeral, Parton's sister, Freida Parton, one of her 11 siblings, released a lengthy tribute on Facebook. Freida described the profound personal loss, referring to Dolly as her "Dolly Momma." She recalled how Dolly had stepped in to raise her from the age of 13 to 18 and shared childhood memories of the two sisters being afraid of the dark together.