Dolly Parton has been laid to rest in a private family funeral in Tennessee, with the country music icon reportedly buried alongside her late husband, Carl Dean.
Parton, who died at 80 following a brief battle with cancer, was laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum.
Her great-niece, Lainey Parton, shared a tribute on Instagram after the funeral, describing Dolly as someone who made her feel loved, confident and supported throughout her life.
“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough,” she wrote. “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.”
Lainey said Dolly supported her decision to attend beauty school, helped finance her education and played a role in starting her career.
“She didn’t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there,” she wrote.
She also recalled the opportunities she shared with her great-aunt, including appearing on Dolly’s album Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith And Fables and being in a movie with her.
Lainey said the reality of Dolly’s death had yet to sink in and that she would miss “her voice, her laugh, her hugs, and just knowing she was there.”
She thanked fans for their messages and flowers as she mourned the singer.
The funeral comes as Nashville International Airport has also proposed renaming the airport in honour of Parton.
