Dolly Parton’s Final Wish About Her Death Revealed

NEW YORK: (Showbiz Desk) – Country music icon Dolly Parton reportedly had a specific request about how she wanted to be remembered in her final days, according to a report by TMZ. Sources cited by the outlet said Parton did not want friends and family to see her in her fragile condition before her death.

According to the report, Parton made one exception for her longtime wig and makeup artist, Cheryl Riddle. Riddle was reportedly allowed to be with the singer so she could prepare her after her death.

Parton’s funeral included an open-casket viewing, making Riddle’s role particularly significant in ensuring the singer appeared as she had wished to be remembered.

Her nephew Bryan Seaver was also reportedly among the last people to see Parton. TMZ reported that Seaver visited his aunt the day before her death and that she asked him to announce her passing publicly. He later recorded the announcement at Parton’s studio, which was posted on her social media accounts on the day she died.

The report further stated that some of Parton’s siblings were unable to see her during her final hours. Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80 following a private battle with cancer. Her representatives said she was surrounded by loved ones at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.

Parton was later laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, beside her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025.