Dolly Parton kept the details of her health struggles private from even some members of her family in the months leading up to 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 following what a family spokesperson described as a “brief battle with cancer.” While Parton had acknowledged publicly that she was experiencing health issues, 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 herself that she had been going through health problems, but no one really knew what a lot of that was, including myself,” Owens said.
Dolly Parton wanted everyone to stay positive
According to Owens, Parton deliberately chose to keep her health struggles private because she wanted the people around her to remain hopeful.“She always kept things private because she always wanted to keep everybody being positive around her and put that out there in the world,” he said.Owens recalled Parton reassuring those close to her with a simple message: “Don’t worry about me, I’m going to be fine.”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 surrounding Parton’s funeral, clarifying that the family did not hold a traditional formal funeral.Parton was buried on August 28 in Nashville, alongside 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 very quiet,” he said, explaining that the word “funeral” did not accurately describe the gathering.“It was a burial, to be buried beside her husband,” Owens added.Only a small number of family members attended the private ceremony. Owens said others who may have wanted to be there were unable to attend because they were elsewhere.“It was very quiet, very quickly done, and not for any bad reasons whatsoever, it’s just that’s what she wanted. She wanted to keep it very, very private,” he said.
Dolly wanted flowers to help others instead
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 rather see money that people might spend on flowers after her death donated to charity, particularly her Imagination Library, the literacy programme she founded.“That’s exactly what she said … when that happens to her, when she passes, she would much rather see people take that $50 you should spend on flowers and give it to her Imagination Library,” Owens said.“She’s said that many, many times. She really cared about her charities,” he added.
Family shares emotional tribute to the country icon
News of Parton’s death was initially announced through a video message from her nephew Bryan Seaver, posted on her Instagram account.Seaver revealed that Parton had asked him years earlier to make the announcement when the time came.“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it 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 music career, highlighting the warmth and kindness that made her beloved across generations.“A rhinestone life that shone 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.”
