Dolly Parton’s death has left fans around the world heartbroken, but the country music legend did not want a massive public funeral or a grand procession at Dollywood.

Parton died on Aug. 25 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Her death brought an immediate wave of tributes from fans, fellow musicians and major public figures, including Elton John, Beyoncé and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Despite her enormous fame, Parton had already made her wishes clear about what should happen after her death.

Her family announced that she would have a small and private funeral attended only by her immediate family.

“At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family,” a statement shared on her Instagram said.

The family also asked fans not to send flowers. Instead, they encouraged people who wanted to honor Parton to donate to her Imagination Library, the program she created to provide free books to children.

Fans can also leave messages and tributes on Parton’s social media accounts and website.

While there will be no major public funeral, Parton had previously revealed one very personal request for the service.

In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, she was asked about the music she wanted to hear at her funeral. She admitted that many people might expect her famous song I Will Always Love You to be played.

The song had a deep connection to Whitney Houston, who famously recorded it for The Bodyguard. Parton remembered hearing it at Houston’s funeral and how emotional the moment was for her.

But when it came to her own funeral, Parton had another song in mind.

Her choice was If We Never Meet Again, an old country gospel song with a message about meeting loved ones again in heaven.

Parton explained that the song had been her father’s favorite and was performed at his funeral.

“That was my daddy’s favourite,” she said. “We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine.”

That simple request offers a deeply personal look at what mattered most to the country icon.

Parton also made arrangements for where she wanted to be laid to rest. According to reports, she will be buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville, Tennessee, next to her husband, Carl Dean.

Dean died in March 2025 at the age of 82 after nearly 60 years of marriage to Parton.

The couple first met outside a laundromat on the day Parton moved to Nashville to pursue her music career. They married two years later in a small ceremony in Georgia and kept their relationship largely away from the public eye.

When Dean died, Parton described him as her “perfect partner” and said he was now in God’s arms.

Their private relationship remained one of the quieter parts of Parton’s extraordinary life, even as she became one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world.

Now, Parton’s family plans to honor her in the same private way she lived much of her personal life.

There may be no huge funeral or public procession, but her fans will have countless ways to remember her. And if her final wishes are followed, one of the most meaningful moments of her farewell will be the sound of If We Never Meet Again, the song that connected her to her father and the faith that remained important throughout her life.

Parton’s legacy, meanwhile, will continue through her music, charitable work and the millions of children reached by her Imagination Library.