Dolly Parton's loved ones have gathered at the country music legend's final resting place, days after her death at the age of 80. Around a dozen of the singer's relatives were at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville on Friday morning.
The star is to be laid to rest beside her beloved husband Carl Dean as the first images of their tomb have emerged online. The Jolene singer died on Tuesday, August 25, following what her representatives described as a "brief battle" with cancer. She was surrounded by loved ones at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.
A Private Farewell at Dolly's Request
Dolly had made her wishes for after her death clear, opting against the kind of huge public send-off that could easily have accompanied the passing of one of America's most celebrated performers. Instead, her family previously announced that the star wanted an intimate farewell attended only by those closest to her.
"At Dolly's request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family," they said. It has not been confirmed whether Friday's gathering was the funeral itself. However, Page Six reports that relatives arrived carrying flowers while police and security were present around the cemetery.
Reunited With Carl Dean
Dolly's nephew Bryan Seaver, who also served as her head of security, was among those seen arriving and was reportedly helping to coordinate proceedings. Her final resting place will reunite Dolly with Carl, her husband of 58 years, who died aged 82 in March 2025.
In photos obtained by Page Six, the couple's tomb features a bronze front depicting a peaceful mountain landscape inspired by their native Tennessee. Dolly's name had already been added alongside her husband's following her death. The plaque also pictured what appears to be Dolly's humble childhood home next to an engraving of Carl's.
Comfort and Legacy
Details of Dolly's burial are expected to reflect the flamboyant star's personality. She will reportedly be laid to rest wearing a comfortable cotton dress and her trademark high heels. When breaking the news of her death, her nephew Bryan revealed she had spoken to him about wanting comfort. He said in the video, "Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because, after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest."
Dolly's family have asked well-wishers not to send flowers and instead encouraged anyone wanting to honour her memory to donate to her Imagination Library. The literacy programme, founded by Dolly in 1995, provides free books to young children and became one of the most celebrated parts of her extensive philanthropic work. Fans around the world have also been invited to leave messages in Dolly's memory online.
Tributes and a Lifelong Love Story
Her death brought an outpouring of tributes from across the entertainment industry following a career spanning more than six decades. In an obituary published by Woodlawn Memorial Park, Dolly was remembered as a "global icon and humanitarian" whose legacy extended far beyond her music. It said: "A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family."
Woodlawn is also the resting place of several figures with close connections to country music, including Dolly's longtime collaborator Porter Wagoner and her friend Tammy Wynette. Carl's parents are also buried there.
Dolly and Carl's extraordinary relationship began before she became one of the most famous women in the world. They met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville in 1964, on the very day an 18-year-old Dolly arrived in the city to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer. Carl was 21.
They married two years later in a small ceremony in Georgia and remained together for almost six decades, with Carl famously choosing to stay almost entirely outside the spotlight as his wife's career soared. Following his death last year, Dolly described them as the "perfect partners" and wrote: "He is in God's arms now and I am okay with that." She signed off the tribute with the words "I will always love you", a reference to one of her most famous songs.
Dolly had also revealed years before her death that there was another song she hoped would form part of her own farewell. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2014, she chose the country-gospel song If We Never Meet Again, which had also been played at her father's funeral. Explaining its significance, Dolly said: "That was my daddy's favourite. We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine."
