Dolly Parton’s family has revealed where the country music legend will be laid to rest following her death at the age of 80.

Parton will be buried beside her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tennessee. Dean died in March 2025 at the age of 82 and was laid to rest at the same location. The decision means the couple, whose marriage lasted almost 60 years despite Dean’s preference for a life away from the spotlight, will ultimately be together again.

The details were shared by Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, who also announced the singer’s death. According to Seaver, Parton will be interred in the mausoleum at Woodlawn, where Dean is already buried.

A Private Farewell in Nashville

Parton’s family is planning a small and private funeral ceremony for immediate relatives. A larger public memorial has not yet been announced.

The intimate plans reflect the singer’s own wishes. Although Parton spent much of her life in front of millions of fans, she had previously expressed a preference for a quiet farewell surrounded by family rather than a large public funeral.

Her family has also encouraged people who wish to honour her memory to consider supporting the Imagination Library, the literacy programme she founded, instead of sending traditional funeral flowers.

Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Her death brought an immediate international wave of tributes from fans, fellow musicians, actors and public figures.

She Will Be Buried in Her Signature Style

Even in her final arrangements, Parton’s unmistakable personal style will reportedly remain part of the story.

Seaver said she will be buried wearing high heels and a comfortable cotton dress.

The choice is particularly fitting for a performer whose glamorous appearance — including towering hair, sparkling clothing, dramatic makeup and high heels — became inseparable from her public image.

Seaver explained that after decades of performing in elaborate rhinestone outfits, Parton deserved to be comfortable as she was laid to rest.

The decision also offers a poignant contrast between the stage persona that millions knew and the private woman who spent much of her life away from the spotlight.

Reunited With Carl Dean

Parton and Dean married in 1966 and remained together for almost 59 years.

Their relationship was unusual by celebrity standards. While Parton became one of the most recognisable entertainers in the world, Dean largely avoided public attention and rarely appeared alongside his famous wife.

The couple first met in Nashville when Parton was a teenager. Their relationship developed away from the intense public scrutiny that followed Parton throughout her career.

They eventually married in Ringgold, Georgia, on May 30, 1966. In 2016, they renewed their vows to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Dean died on March 3, 2025. His death was an enormous emotional blow to Parton, who later spoke openly about how difficult it was to continue without the man who had been beside her for most of her adult life.

Now, the couple will share their final resting place at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum.

A Love Story That Stayed Mostly Out of Public View

Despite spending decades in the public eye, Parton frequently protected her marriage from the entertainment industry.

Dean was not interested in celebrity life and preferred to remain at home while his wife travelled, performed and recorded music around the world. Parton often joked about the contrast between their lives, but she consistently described their marriage as deeply meaningful.

After Dean’s death, Parton released the song If You Hadn’t Been There as a tribute to him. The song reflected on the importance of his presence throughout her life and career.

The couple’s story became one of the longest-lasting marriages in entertainment, even though audiences rarely saw them together.

Parton Had Already Thought About Her Funeral

The singer had spoken about her funeral wishes years before her death.

In a 2014 interview, she revealed that she wanted the hymn If We Never Meet Again played at her funeral. The song had particular meaning for her because it had also been associated with her father’s funeral.

Her decision to choose the music in advance was consistent with the way Parton approached many aspects of her extraordinary career: with preparation, humour and a clear sense of how she wanted to be remembered.

She had also made plans for unreleased music that would outlive her. One song, My Place in History, was placed in a time capsule intended to be opened in 2046, on what would have been her 100th birthday.

A Final Chapter for a Global Icon

Parton’s death closes one of the most remarkable careers in modern popular music.

Born in Tennessee, she rose from humble beginnings to become an internationally recognised singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Her catalogue includes enduring songs such as Jolene and I Will Always Love You, while her work outside music included the creation of Dollywood and the Imagination Library.

Her influence extended far beyond country music. She became a cultural figure whose career crossed music, film, television, business and charitable work.

Yet despite that enormous public legacy, her final resting place will be connected to the private part of her life that she guarded most carefully.

At Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Dolly Parton will be laid to rest beside Carl Dean — the husband who shared nearly six decades of her life away from the cameras.

For a woman whose career was defined by glitter, rhinestones and enormous stages, her final farewell is expected to be remarkably intimate: close family, a private ceremony, and a final resting place beside the person she loved for most of her life.