Dolly Parton’s family announce she has been ‘laid to rest’ after private funeral

Dolly Parton has been laid to rest after a private funeral, her family has confirmed.

Her death was announced by her nephew, Bryan Seaver, in an Instagram video posted August 25. The musician’s publicist confirmed Parton’s cancer diagnosis to the Associated Press later in the day, but did not give further details on her illness.

Dolly’s niece, Lainey Parton, shared a touching tribute to her aunt August 29, confirming the Queen of Country had been laid to rest the day prior.

“I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words,” Lainey wrote of her “Aunt Granny.”

“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.

“Most people can think of at least one bad memory with everyone in their family. I honestly can’t think of one with her.”

Lainey went on to thank fans and supporters for their love, and ended with a final message to Dolly: “Thank you for always believing in me, loving me, and making me feel like I could do anything.”

Dolly had made it clear before her death that she wanted a “small, private service” for immediate family, the singer’s team shared in a statement.

That service was held at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville. She was buried next to Carl Dean, her husband of 60 years who died in March 2025.

Aside from wanting a small service, Dolly did reveal one major detail about her funeral arrangements to fans more than a decade before her death.

“There’s a song called ‘If We Never Meet Again.’ It’s an old country-gospel church song that talks about if we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore,” she told Entertainment Weekly in a 2014 interview.

“‘Where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more.’ That was my daddy’s favorite. We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine.”

It is unclear if there was a live rendition of the song at her funeral; however, Parton has duetted with her goddaughter, pop star Miley Cyrus, on a number of occasions in the past.