Dolly Parton is grieving the loss of her brother, Coy “Denver” Parton, who died Thursday in Sevierville, Tennessee. He was 82.
Coy Parton worked as a crane operator and was also a homestead farmer and hunter, according to an obituary from Atchley Funeral Home. His cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
His passing follows a series of family losses, including his wife, Carolyn Parton, and brothers Larry, David, Randy, and Floyd Parton. Coy is survived by his sisters Dolly, Willadeene Buzzeo, Stella Parton, Cassie Griffith, Freida Parton, and Rachel George, as well as his brothers Robert Parton Jr. and by his daughters Chris and Jennifer.
The crane operator's death comes more than a year after the passing of Parton's husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 at age 82 following a private health battle. Parton, 80, had shared at the time of Dean's death that her husband was no longer suffering, but acknowledged the profound sense of loss and loneliness.
At the time of Dean's passing, Parton took a brief hiatus from music, telling a podcast that she was unable to work. She and Dean married in 1966, having met in 1964. Parton has also faced personal health challenges in recent years, including kidney stones and a need for unspecified procedures.
In May, she reported that she was responding well to treatments and improving daily. Parton has recently been involved in public events, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her Tennessean Travel Stop and the announcement of a forthcoming Broadway musical about her life titled "Dolly: A True Original Musical."