RadarOnline.com can reveal Dolly Parton is quietly thinking ahead to how she wants to be remembered, with sources saying the country icon has begun planning her own funeral – and is determined it should feel like a celebration rather than a somber farewell.
The preparations come during a period of reduced public appearances for Parton, who turned 80 this month.
Parton is planning a joyful celebration for her future funeral, according to sources.
Last year, she postponed several Las Vegas residency dates at Caesars Palace after experiencing health issues, later confirmed by her manager to be kidney stones.
In recent weeks, she has appeared by video, rather than in person, to accept an induction into the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame for Dollywood and an honorary Oscar for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Her absence has sparked huge concern among fans, who flooded social media with messages of support.
Their anxiety echoed the reaction two months earlier when Parton announced she was delaying the sellout shows.
Addressing fans directly at the time, she wrote: “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”
‘I’m Not Ready to Die Yet’
The singer rejected retirement rumors to focus on new projects.
Despite her recent scares, Parton has repeatedly insisted she is not stepping away for good.
“I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me, and I ain’t done working,” she recently said, pushing back against speculation she is winding down after decades spanning music, film, philanthropy, and business.
Still, those close to her say recent events have prompted reflection.
One source told us, “Dolly has never been someone who shies away from reality, and reaching this stage of life has simply made her more thoughtful rather than fearful. She is still full of plans and energy, but she also wants peace of mind knowing that, when the moment eventually arrives, it will mirror the kindness, humor, and generosity she’s spent a lifetime sharing with other people.”
Life After Husband Carl Dean
The singer honored her late husband, Carl Dean, after 60 years of marriage.
The timing carries added weight as Parton continues to endure life without her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in March aged 82.
The famously private couple met when she was 19, and friends say she devoted herself to caring for Dean during his struggle with dementia.
An insider claimed: “Carl’s death reshaped her world in ways she’s still coming to terms with. Work has always been her refuge, so having to step back, cancel performances, and sit with the quiet has been especially painful as she navigates the loneliness left behind.”
Another source said, “Carl’s passing forced Dolly to confront her own mortality in a very real way. She’s become more thoughtful and inward-looking since then, even as she continues to present the same warmth and optimism people have always associated with her.”
An ‘Uplifting’ Farewell in Tennessee
Parton has requested an “uplifting and colorful” farewell in Tennessee, according to insiders.
Parton has long joked about mortality.
She once said she hoped to “drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday,” later adding: “That’s how I hope to go. I don’t have much of a choice in that, but in the meantime, I’m going to make hay while the sun shines.”
According to the source, Parton has expressed a wish for a funeral that is “uplifting, colorful and full of music,” to avoid anything overly solemn.
Sources said she hopes her funeral will be held in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee, and feels more like a family reunion than a painful farewell.
Music would be central to the ceremony, including the gospel song If We Never Meet Again, which Parton has said she wants performed because it was her father’s favorite song.
She has said, “We did sing it at his funeral, and I would like it to be sung at mine.”
