Dolly Parton's funeral will be a "small, private service for immediate family" at her request, her publicist confirmed Tuesday. The intimate ceremony is reportedly being planned in Nashville, Tennessee, for the coming days, with her closest family and loved ones expected to attend.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to Parton's Imagination Library, her free book-gifting program. Her team also encouraged fans to pay tribute by tagging her on social media or leaving messages on her website.
Parton passed away Tuesday at age 80, five days after reportedly being hospitalized in Nashville for kidney and autoimmune issues. Her cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
Parton's nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, revealed that the music icon had requested to be laid to rest in a "beautiful bed of plush cotton." Seaver shared that this request was something Parton had asked of him years ago. "After a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest," he added.
Days before her death, Parton had mentioned to People magazine that she was "dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to" while caring for her late husband, Carl Dean Thomas, who died in March 2025 at age 82. She noted, "It’s not like I haven’t been through hard times with my health."
Within the past year, Parton had missed several Dollywood appearances due to health concerns, including kidney stones. She was also reportedly still grieving the loss of her husband, who died of an unspecified prolonged illness. "Of course I miss him. I’m having to really go through a lot trying to figure out how to be without him because I was with him for so long," Parton told Entertainment Tonight in May 2025. She added, "He did suffer a lot for the last few years, and there’s a part of me that’s happy he’s at peace and at rest."