Dolly Parton's Cousin Reveals Why She Kept Cancer Diagnosis Private
Owens said Parton kept her illness and burial plans private, while family members honored her wish for a small ceremony and donations to charity.
- On August 28, 2026, country music legend Dolly Parton was laid to rest at a private Nashville burial, three days after her death at 80 from a brief battle with cancer.
- Richie Owens, Parton family archivist, told the Today Show on Thursday that Parton kept her health struggles private, choosing to project an upbeat mood to relatives until her death.
- Owens described the service as "very quiet, very quickly done," adding that Parton was interred alongside her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum.
- In accordance with her wishes, Parton requested $50 donations to her Imagination Library instead of flowers; the charity has distributed more than 350 million books worldwide.
- Nephew Bryan Seaver announced Parton's passing and later reflected that honoring her final requests was "an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness.
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Dolly Parton's Niece Is Coming Forward About Why The Family Kept Her Battle With Cancer Private
Jada Star told ExtraTV the family kept her aunt’s hospitalizations and health issues to themselves — which is partly why the news landed as a shock to many.View Entire Post ›
Dolly Parton’s final burial beside husband Carl Dean explained: First cousin Richie Owens reveals she kept cancer battle private from family members and wanted $50 meant for flowers donated to charity
Dolly Parton was privately buried beside her husband Carl Dean, with first cousin Richie Owens revealing that the country icon kept her cancer battle private from some family members. Owens said Parton wanted her farewell to remain small and quiet, while encouraging people to donate money they might spend on flowers to charity instead.
The Real Reason Dolly Parton Kept Her Health Struggles Private
Dolly Parton‘s cousin, Richie Owens, is sharing some private details about the late singer’s life. Just a few days before Parton died, she told People that she was “dealing with some health issues.” It wasn’t until after her death that Parton’s reps told the outlet that she had a “brief battle with cancer.” In a Sept. 3 interview with TODAY.com, Owens revealed why Parton kept her health issues private and was very ambiguous about what she wa…
Dolly Parton’s Cousin Says Singer Even Kept Health Issues From Family: ‘She Always Wanted to Keep Everybody Being Positive Around Her’
Dolly Parton's cousin said that the singer even kept her health issues from her family and insisted on a simple burial to save the money for charity.
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