Parton family historian Richie Owens also revealed that last week's reported "funeral" was actually a simple "burial" to avoid spending money that could go to charity.
Dolly Parton performs at the Academy of Country Music Awards held at Allegiant Stadium on March 7, 2022, in Las Vegas.
Christopher Polk/PMC
To the very end of her life, Dolly Parton was determined to be a source of light in the world, even if it meant eschewing a traditional funeral and sharing details about her health struggles with her fans, or even her family. Parton’s first cousin, occasional musical collaborator and the family’s archivist, Richie Owens, told the Today Show on Thursday (Sept. 3) that the beloved country icon who died on Aug. 25 at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer kept even her kin in the dark about her failing health, believing that projecting an upbeat, positive mood for everyone around was the best option.
“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 of Parton’s periodic health updates over the last year of her life in which she alluded to some struggles, but always pivoted to focusing on hope and the future. “She always kept things private because she always wanted to keep everybody being positive around her and put that out there in the world. Just, ‘Don’t worry about me, I’m going to be fine.’ Just show the love.”
