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Dolly Parton Has Died, and Her Family’s Announcement Is Completely “Dolly” in Its Comfort and Inspiration

It’s the news no one wanted to hear but we were all bracing for: Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80. The brash blond songwriter from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee has been a bright light in our lives ever since she released her first song back in 1966, and we will miss her.

I fell in love with Dolly in 9 to 5, the groundbreaking 1980 movie that not only showcased her innovative musical talent (she played the “typewriter” on her fingernails) but also her comedy and acting chops. My brother and I still quote the movie to each other as a running gag, and I named my barrel-chested blond dog Dolly Parton, which never fails to get a laugh at the vet or dog park.

No doubt you also have many memories of Dolly Parton and her infectious personality and incredible talents. While we process this devastating news, which somehow comes as a huge shock even as we worried over the last year or so about her health, let’s take a moment to grieve with her family, who announced her death in a way we think Dolly would approve. She would likely be tickled to know that we’re all remembering her too.

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What did her family say in their announcement of her passing?


In an Instagram post, Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew and head of security (like his father before him), shared the news of her death and spoke of Dolly’s lasting legacy.

“It is an honor, but an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly,” Seaver said. “Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.” Carl Thomas Dean was Parton’s longtime but reclusive husband, whom she married in 1966. Dean died last year at the age of 82.

Seaver shared how he first got a taste of the “road life” as a kid in the 1980s, and he thanked his Aunt Dolly for opening doors for his family and generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers from every walk of life. “She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she did open made and changed history.”

He also gave all of us a big, virtual hug as he acknowledged how much we were hurting, as well as added a little characteristic Dolly humor: “My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family, whether you liked it or not.” It was a sweet nod that made fans feel seen.

Had Dolly been ill recently?

Yes. Since her husband died last year, Dolly had been open, if characteristically tongue-in-cheek, about her health struggles. After postponing and then canceling a Las Vegas residency last year, she posted an update on social media to assure the millions of adoring, worried fans: “I ain’t dead yet.”

Then, in May of this year, she shared news that she responded positively to treatments for immune and digestive issues that had “got all out of whack.” Dolly’s sunny personality shone through in these cryptic messages, but clearly things were darker than we’d all hoped.

No cause of death has been revealed yet.

What will Dolly’s legacy be?

A shrewd businesswoman, Dolly knew she had to overcome hurdles to be taken seriously in the music business, and her first song, ironically titled “Dumb Blonde” (she was anything but), gave us all a hint of the clever powerhouse she would become.

Dolly penned more than 3,000 songs in her six-decade career and always considered herself a “songteller” rather than a singer, actor, theme park owner, kids charity benefactor and all-around national treasure that she came to be. Tributes from musicians who have covered her songs over the years—from Jack White to Reba McIntyre—are pouring in.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated $1 million to research that eventually produced Moderna’s vaccine, and in 2016, she gave $9 million to victims of wildfires in her home state of Tennessee. She also was dedicated to childhood literacy. In 1995, she started the Imagination Library in honor of her father, Robert Lee Parton, who never learned to read or write. The organization has donated more than 130 million books to kids around the world.

Dolly had so many accomplishments that it’s honestly hard to list them all. Beyond her Grammys, Country Music Awards and humanitarian accolades, I imagine her lasting legacy will be how she made people feel. There’s no one like Dolly. Her larger-than-life personality and generous spirit were infectious, and even when she was poking fun at her appearance and totally relatable foibles, she made us laugh right along with her.

Sources:

Dolly's Last Instagram Post Was Wonderfully Nostalgic

Why Dolly Parton Says She Never Needed Therapy

We're Making Dolly's 5-Layer Casserole on Repeat

The post Dolly Parton Has Died, and Her Family’s Announcement Is Completely “Dolly” in Its Comfort and Inspiration appeared first on Reader's Digest.



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