No one lives forever, but if anyone did, Dolly Parton would be many people’s first choice for immortality. Sadly, she passed away on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80. The beloved singer had battled health issues since her husband’s death a year earlier. However, she kept the severity of her health problems to herself. Her death was shocking to everyone but her. She chose the song she wanted played at her funeral more than a decade before her death. Keep reading for more details.
Dolly Parton’s Cause Of Death Revealed
Dolly Parton was supposed to go on her first tour in years with a Las Vegas residency in late 2025. She was forced to cancel the dates because of ongoing health issues. Then she canceled the rescheduled dates as well. However, she downplayed her illness, never letting fans know how much she was suffering.
Her suffering came to an end this week. As heartbreaking as it is for us, Dolly Parton likely found peace, believing she would reunite with her beloved husband in Heaven. Her family revealed new details about Dolly Parton’s death.
TMZ reported that Dolly Parton went to the hospital late last week for “kidney and autoimmune” problems. Her family revealed that she fought a brief battle with cancer before passing away at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by her family.
Dolly Parton Chose Funeral Song Years Before Death
Dolly Parton never publicly disclosed that she was diagnosed with cancer. In fact, she downplayed her health issues, only saying that she was suffering from kidney stones and dehydration. She put on a brave face during her last public appearance at the opening of a Tennessee rest stop bearing her name.
Dolly Parton will be laid to rest at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum with her late husband. The family shared that the service will be private for family only. But Dolly Parton already shared a few details she wanted for her funeral. In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she shared the song she wanted played at her funeral.
“I’m sure they’ll be playing “I Will Always Love You” when I die, just like they did with Whitney Houston. When they picked her coffin up and started in on that song, I started to cry, and I thought, ‘Oh my Lord.’ That’s when it hit me that she was really gone,” she told the outlet. However, her popular hit song is a given. Her other request was more meaningful.
“There’s a song called “If We Never Meet Again.” It’s an old country-gospel church song that talks about if we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore. ‘Where the charming roses bloom forever and where separations come no more.’ That was my daddy’s favorite. We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine,” the beloved singer said.
What Dolly Parton wants, Dolly Parton gets. Her family will likely abide by her wishes. Our hearts are broken over the devastating loss.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
