Dolly Parton laid to rest in private funeral
What's the story
Country music legend Dolly Parton, who passed away on August 25 at the age of 80, was laid to rest during a private service on Friday. Per reports, she was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, next to her husband Carl Dean, who died in 2025. The ceremony was attended by immediate family members, as confirmed by her great-niece, Lainey Parton. In an emotional Instagram post on August 29, Lainey shared fond memories of her late aunt.
Fond memories
'This is a really hard post for me to make'
Lainey wrote, "This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words."
She added, "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."
Family bond
'She believed in me before...'
Lainey further reminisced about her aunt's unwavering belief in her.
"She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself," she wrote.
"Most people can think of at least one bad memory with everyone in their family. I honestly can't think of one with her."
She also recalled a special memory when Parton invited her to sing on the Smoky Mountain DNA album, which she described as an experience that made her feel "safe and confident."
Career guidance
Lainey also expressed her gratitude for the opportunities
Lainey also shared how Parton supported her career choices.
"When I told her I wanted to go to beauty school, she never questioned why I wasn't going to college," Lainey wrote.
"She told me she couldn't see me doing anything else."
"She financially supported me through school and helped me get my career started. She didn't just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there."
Cherished memories
'I'm going to miss her voice, her laugh...'
Lainey also expressed her gratitude for the opportunities and memories she shared with the late legend.
"I'm so glad I have those moments to look back on now," she wrote. "I have things I can watch, hear, and hold onto when I miss her."
She added, "It still doesn't feel real that she's gone. I'm going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there."
Legacy
Parton passed away after a 'brief battle with cancer'
Parton passed away after a "brief battle with cancer," as confirmed by her representatives.
She had been admitted to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville on August 21, where she breathed her last four days later.
Before her death, Parton had been dealing with kidney and autoimmune issues.
In a statement, her team said that she had requested a private service and asked fans to honor her memory by donating to the Imagination Library or tagging her on social media.