Dolly Parton’s niece has broken her silence following the country music legend’s funeral, saying it still “doesn’t feel real” that her aunt is gone.
Lainey Mae Parton shared an emotional post on Instagram on Saturday, confirming that Dolly was laid to rest on Friday, August 28.
“This is a really hard post for me to make,” Lainey wrote alongside a slideshow of family photographs featuring Dolly.
“I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words.”
Dolly Parton. Photo credit: Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock
Lainey, who was one of Dolly’s nieces and nephews who affectionately knew her as “Aunt Granny”, went on to describe the enormous impact her aunt had on her life.
“She always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself,” she wrote.
Dolly Parton. Photo credit: DFree Shutterstock
She added that despite Dolly being such a major figure around the world, she had always been a loving and supportive member of their family.
“Most people can think of at least one bad memory with everyone in their family,” Lainey wrote. “I honestly can’t think of one with her.”
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Lainey also reflected on the fact that Dolly was unable to have children of her own, saying she had instead made her nieces and nephews feel as though they were hers.
“It still doesn’t feel real that she’s gone. I’m going to miss her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there,” she wrote on Instagram.
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Dolly was laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville on Friday, beside her husband Carl Dean.
Her family had gathered at the Nashville burial site, with reports confirming that the private gathering was Dolly’s funeral.
According to a source, the ceremony was deliberately kept simple because that was what Dolly wanted.
Her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also served as her head of security, was in charge of the funeral arrangements.
Dolly Parton. Photo credit: Carl Beust, Shutterstock
Dolly died on Tuesday at the age of 80 following what was described as a brief battle with cancer.
She had been married to Carl Dean for 58 years before his death in March 2025 at the age of 82.
Dolly Parton. Photo credit: DFree Shutterstock
The couple famously met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat shortly after Dolly moved to Nashville at the age of 18. Dean was 21 at the time.
Dolly was reportedly due to be buried wearing a cotton dress and her signature stilettos.
When announcing her death, Seaver revealed that Dolly had wanted to rest surrounded by cotton after a lifetime of wearing her famous rhinestones.
“Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because, after a life wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest,” he said.
Since her passing, stars from across the entertainment industry have been paying tribute to the singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist.
Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Julia Roberts and goddaughter Miley Cyrus are among the many who honoured the memory of the 'irreplaceable' Dolly Parton.
