Dolly Parton Buried Next to Husband in Private Nashville Funeral

Country singer Dolly Parton was laid to rest on Friday, Aug. 28, in a private family funeral held at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville. She was buried beside her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, who died in 2025 at age 82. The ceremony was confirmed by Parton's great-niece Lainey Parton on Instagram, noting the difficulty of posting about the event.

According to reports, the service was small and details were not released publicly. Parton's nephew Brian Seaver recalled a request she had made for a burial "in a beautiful bed of plush cotton" to contrast with her career of wearing heavy rhinestones.

In a 2014 interview, Parton said she would prefer the gospel hymn "If We Never Meet Again"—her father's favorite—to be played at her funeral, rather than her own hit "I Will Always Love You." The hymn was performed at her father's funeral.

People reported that the mausoleum includes a plaque with Parton's name, an image of her childhood home in Sevier County, Tennessee, and the couple's wedding date with intertwined wedding bands. Parton also arranged for an unreleased song, "My Place in History," to be sealed in a chestnut box at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort, with plans for its release on what would have been her 100th birthday in 2046.

Fans were invited to honor her memory by tagging her on social media or donating to her Imagination Library nonprofit. The funeral home issued a statement describing Parton's career and philanthropic legacy.