Explanation of Dolly Parton’s final burial with her husband Carl Dean: First cousin Richie Owens reveals that he kept the battle against cancer private from his relatives and wanted to donate $50 for flowers to charities |
Dolly Parton kept details of her health problems private even from some members of her family in the months before her death, according to her first cousin and longtime musical collaborator Richie Owens.The country music legend and actor died on August 25 at the age of 80 after what a family spokesperson described as a “brief battle with cancer.” While Parton had publicly acknowledged that she was experiencing health problems, she never revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer.Owens, who also serves as a Parton family historian, spoke about the singer’s final months and her legacy during an appearance on TODAY on September 3.“She, of course, posted that she had been going through health problems, but no one really knew what that was, including me,” Owens said.
Dolly Parton Wanted Everyone to Stay Positive
According to Owens, Parton deliberately decided to keep her health issues private because she wanted the people around her to remain hopeful.“She always kept things private because she always wanted everyone to be positive around her and spread that to the world,” he said.Owens recalled that Parton reassured her loved ones with a simple message: “Don’t worry about me, I’m going to be okay.”The singer’s approach, he said, reflected her desire to focus on love and positivity rather than her illness.
Parton’s final farewell was deliberately kept small
Owens also addressed reports about Parton’s funeral, clarifying that the family did not hold a traditional formal funeral.Parton was buried on August 28 in Nashville, next to her husband of 59 years, Carl Dean, who died at the age of 82 in 2025. According to Owens, the private burial was exactly what Parton wanted.“She wanted to keep it quiet,” he said, explaining that the word “funeral” did not accurately describe the gathering.“It was a funeral, to be buried next to her husband,” Owens added.Only a small number of family members attended the private ceremony. Owens said other people who would have wanted to be there were unable to attend because they were elsewhere.“It was very quiet, it was done very quickly and not for any bad reason, it’s just that’s what she wanted. She wanted to keep it very, very private,” he said.
Dolly wanted flowers to help others
Parton’s lifelong commitment to philanthropy was also reflected in the wishes she had expressed about how people should remember her.Owens said the singer would prefer that the money that people might spend on flowers after her death be donated to charities, particularly her Imagination Library, the literacy program she founded.“That’s exactly what he said… when that happens to him, when he passes away, I would rather see people take that $50 that you should spend on flowers and give it to their Imagination Library,” Owens said.“She has said it many, many times. She really cared about her charities,” he added.
The news of Parton’s death was initially announced through a video message from her nephew Bryan Seaver, posted to his Instagram account.Seaver revealed that Parton had asked him years before to make the announcement when the time came.“This video announcement is something Dolly asked me for years ago before it fully sunk in as a future reality,” he said, describing the responsibility as an “honor” mixed with “absolute pride and great sadness.”An obituary shared on Parton’s Facebook account celebrated more than her extraordinary musical career, highlighting the warmth and kindness that made her beloved across generations.“A rhinestone life that shined bright enough for the world to see,” the tribute read, remembering Parton as an inspiration through her music and songwriting, as well as her “wit, warmth and kindness that made us all feel like family.”
Source link
