Dolly Parton’s loved ones were seen at her cemetery, Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville on Friday morning.
The intimate group of mourners included Parton’s cousin and head of security Bryan Seaver, who announced her death on Tuesday at the age of 80.
Seaver revealed that Parton would be buried in high heels in the same mausoleum that houses the remains of her husband of more than half a century, Carl Dean.
Family insiders indicated that a private service for close friends and associates would be held in Nashville sometime in the following days.
It was unclear whether Parton was buried during the Friday event, where guests were seen arriving in colored outfits instead of traditional funeral black.
An insider said Seaver appeared to be “in charge” of proceedings, greeting other arrivals and working with local police, via Page six.
Dolly Parton’s loved ones were seen Friday morning at her cemetery, Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville
As news spread of Parton’s death on Tuesday, it emerged that she had been secretly battling cancer, although the specific strain was not made public.
The intimate group of mourners included Parton’s cousin and head of security Bryan Seaver, who announced her death on Tuesday at the age of 80.
According to the source, the building was “swarming with police” before the meeting and an officer was heard saying, “The family is on its way.”
Children were involved in the event, with some men arriving in cowboy hats and boots and a few women holding bouquets.
Parton’s loved ones were seen hugging each other outside as they met before entering the building.
As news spread of Parton’s death on Tuesday, it emerged that she had been secretly battling cancer, although the specific strain was not made public.
Seaver shared Wednesday that Parton will be buried in a comfortable cotton dress, as well as a pair of high heels that have become part of her signature look.
In his Instagram video announcing her passing, Seaver conveyed Parton’s wish “to rest in a beautiful plush cotton bed, because after a lifetime of carrying heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to get comfortable and have some rest.”
He praised his aunt for “living in the light” and said she was now “in the arms of Jesus” and in the company of her late husband Carl Dean, as well as her parents and “countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in heaven.”
Dean died at the age of 82 from causes that remained private in March 2025, two months before what would have been his and Parton’s 59th wedding anniversary.
It was unclear whether Parton was buried during the Friday event, where guests were seen arriving in colored outfits instead of traditional funeral black.
When Parton died, family insiders indicated that a private service for close friends and associates would be held in Nashville sometime in the following days.
It was unclear whether Parton was buried during the Friday event, where guests were seen arriving in colored outfits instead of traditional funeral black.
An insider said Seaver appeared to be “in charge” of the proceedings, greeting other arrivals and working with local police, via Page Six.
According to the source, prior to the meeting the building was “swarming with police” and an officer was heard saying: “The family is on its way.”
Often called the Queen of Country, Parton enjoyed an illustrious music career spanning six decades and was perhaps best known for her hits Jolene and 9 to 5.
Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Pittman Center, Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children, six of whom are still living.
Her death followed months of health problems that saw her withdraw from a series of public appearances, fueling fans’ fears for her well-being.
In an interview published just four days before her death, Parton had stated that she still had “so many things I want to accomplish” and vowed to “keep working as long as I can to see everything come to life,” via People.
She explained that she was struggling with “some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl.”
Parton once told NPR that her 1973 classic Jolene was inspired in part by a local bank teller who developed a flirtatious equation with Dean.
“She was deeply in love with my husband,” she said at the time. “And he just loved going to the couch because she paid so much attention to him.
“It was kind of like a running joke between us when I said, ‘You spend a lot of time at the bank. I don’t think we have that much money.’
Children were involved in the event, with some men arriving in cowboy hats and boots and a few women holding bouquets.
Parton’s loved ones were seen hugging each other outside as they met before entering the building.
Seaver said Wednesday that Parton will be buried in a comfortable cotton dress, as well as a pair of high heels that have become part of her signature look.
Seaver conveyed Parton’s desire “to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton, because after a lifetime of carrying heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.”
He praised his aunt for “living in the light” and said she was now “in the arms of Jesus” and in the company of her late husband Carl Dean.
Years later, on stage at Glastonbury, she said of the song, “I wrote that years ago when my husband… was spending a little more time with Jolene than I thought he should be. I put an end to that. I quickly got rid of that red-haired woman.”
Parton and Dean first met at a laundromat in Nashville in 1964, when she was 18 and he was 21, and they exchanged vows in May 1966.
“I had never been to a laundromat before,” she recalled in the 2023 documentary Dolly Parton: In Her Own Words. “I walked outside, there was a handsome man driving past the Wishy Washy Laundromat. And he stepped aside. So we started talking and two years later we got married.’
Throughout her decades of high-octane superstardom, Dean remained a constant and supportive figure for Parton behind the scenes.
Parton offered her audience a rare glimpse into her 2024 wedding and revealed the reason why her husband refused to attend events with her.
Parton married her husband Carl Thomas Dean in 1966 in Ringgold, Georgia
She noted that her husband was “not the least bit interested in” her songs, despite loving her job, on Bunnie XO’s Dumb Blonde podcast.
A telling moment occurred early in their marriage when she persuaded Dean to attend an awards ceremony in 1967, where she won song of the year.
The outing made such an impression on her “homely” husband that he promptly informed Parton, “I wish you the best, but don’t ever ask me to go to another damn thing because I’m not going.”
The couple, who renewed their vows at their Nashville home in 2016, used humor to dispel any potential for conflict in their decades-long relationship.
Parton raved that her husband was “hilarious,” explaining, “He’s quiet and I’m loud, and we’re funny…we have a lot of fun.” Always [there is] there is too much tension, each of us can enjoy it, make up a joke about it to really break the tension, where we don’t let it get to that point. We never fought back and forth.”
When he died last year, she wrote a heartfelt tribute to their “many wonderful years together,” adding: “Words cannot do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and condolences.”
