Dolly Parton will be laid to rest beside her late husband at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville.
The country star died aged 80 on Tuesday (August 25) following a “brief battle with cancer”.
Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Thomas Dean died aged 82 in March 2025. The couple had spent 58 years as husband and wife.
Dolly Parton’s final resting place at Woodlawn Memorial Park
Carl rests in a mausoleum at Woodlawn Memorial Park. Dolly’s final resting place will sit alongside his.
A plaque at the site already carries both their names. It also features the inscription “Married May 30, 1966” beneath a symbol of two wedding rings.
Images of their respective childhood homes appear below their names. Dolly’s image depicts the one-bedroom log cabin where she grew up with 11 siblings.
The cabin stood in the Great Smoky Mountains at Locust Ridge, near Sevierville, Tennessee. Its inclusion connects her final resting place with her famously humble beginnings.
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Dolly Parton’s special burial wish revealed by her nephew
Dolly’s nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death in an Instagram video. Bryan also served as her head of security for more than two decades.
He explained that Dolly had personally discussed how she wanted to rest.
Bryan said: “Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to feel comfortable and have some rest.”
Dolly’s immediate family will hold a small, private service. The arrangements follow the singer’s own request.
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean’s 58-year marriage
Dolly and Carl married in 1966 after dating for two years. They remained together until Carl’s death in March 2025.
Their life as a married couple spanned almost six decades. Her burial beside him adds another personal detail to the mausoleum’s existing tribute.
Only days before her death, Dolly spoke about setting aside her own health concerns while looking after Carl.
She told People on August 21: “I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn’t pay attention to when I was watching over Carl.”
The plaque’s wedding date now stands as a permanent reminder of their long marriage. Its childhood images also bring both sides of their story together.
How Dolly Parton’s fans can honour the country legend
Dolly’s representatives encouraged fans and friends around the world to share tributes through her official social accounts and website.
Instead of sending flowers, her family asked supporters to donate to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The literacy programme became a major part of her charitable work.
The private service will allow Dolly’s immediate family to say goodbye away from public attention. Her Nashville resting place will keep her beside Carl.
Read more: ‘Beautiful’ Dolly Parton tribute paid outside Buckingham Palace following her death
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