Dolly Parton's niece confirms burial: 'Laid to rest yesterday'
Dolly Parton's niece Lainey Mae Parton confirmed in an Instagram post that the country music legend was laid to rest on Friday, August 28, following a private funeral in Nashville. The emotional tribute marks the first direct family confirmation of the burial after Parton died Tuesday at age 80.
The confirmation closes a wrenching week for fans of the Grammy-winning icon, who passed away after a brief battle with cancer. For ongoing coverage, see our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
Key Takeaways
- Lainey Mae Parton posted Saturday that her aunt was "laid to rest yesterday" after a Friday funeral.
- The service took place at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Page Six reported.
- Parton was buried beside her husband of 58 years, Carl Dean, who died last March at age 82.
- Nephew Bryan Seaver, Parton's head of security, handled arrangements for a simple ceremony.
- The singer died Tuesday at 80 following a brief, unspecified cancer battle.
What did Dolly Parton's niece say about the burial?
Lainey Mae Parton shared an emotional Instagram post on Saturday, captioning a slideshow of family photos with the superstar. "This is a really hard post for me to make," she wrote, adding that she waited until after her aunt was "laid to rest yesterday" before finding words.
Known to nieces and nephews as "Aunt Granny," Dolly was praised as a steady source of support. "She always had a way of making me feel like I was enough," Lainey wrote. "She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself."
Lainey also noted that because her aunt could not have children, she made every niece and nephew feel like her own. "It still doesn't feel real that she's gone," she added. "I'm going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there."
Where and when was Dolly Parton's funeral held?
According to Page Six, loved ones gathered Friday morning at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville. A source exclusively confirmed to the outlet that the gathering was, indeed, Parton's funeral.
Bryan Seaver, Parton's nephew and head of security, was in charge of arrangements. The source described it as "a very simple ceremony" because "that's all Dolly wanted."
Who was Dolly Parton buried beside?
Parton was laid to rest next to her husband, Carl Dean, at the Nashville site. The couple were married for 58 years before Dean died last March at age 82. They famously met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day an 18-year-old Parton moved to Music City; Dean was 21 at the time.
The Grammy winner was reportedly set to be buried in a cotton dress and her signature stilettos. Seaver previously shared in an Instagram video announcing her passing that Parton wanted to "rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because, after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest."
When did Dolly Parton die and what do we know?
Parton died Tuesday at age 80 following what her family described as a brief battle with unspecified cancer. Her death sent shockwaves through the music world and prompted tributes from artists and fans worldwide.
Lainey's Saturday post offered a deeply personal window into the family's grief — and a final, public confirmation that one of country music's most beloved figures has been laid to rest beside the man she loved for nearly six decades.