September 11, 2026 | 11:59 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dolly Parton’s sister Stella reveals the country music icon’s final request before she passed away on August 25 at the age of 80. Dolly did not ask about her vast fortune or legendary legacy. Instead, her final wish was grounded in the humble upbringing that shaped her life.
"The last thing Dolly asked me for was prayer," her 77-year-old sister, Stella Parton, revealed in an interview on CBS Mornings hosted by Gayle King.
According to reporting from Fox News, the country superstar died following a brief, private battle with cancer. Parton chose to keep her diagnosis hidden from her global fanbase and most of her extended family, allowing only her closest circle to know the truth.
Stella noted that out of respect for her late sister's privacy, the family will not disclose the specific type of illness. "Dolly could not bear negative things, and she would not have wanted her fans worried about it," Stella shared during her appearance on CBS Mornings.
Public concern over the "Jolene" singer first began in September 2025, when she postponed a series of performances in Las Vegas. At the time, Parton addressed her followers directly on social media, stating,
"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." Shortly after, her sister Freida publicly asked fans for prayers, a move Stella recalled Parton gently discouraged to avoid alarming the public.
Parton’s death arrived roughly a year after the loss of her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who passed away in March 2025 at age 82. While some speculated she suffered from a broken heart, Stella believes her sister’s lifelong, relentless work ethic was a major factor.
"My sister worked so hard for so long and just kept going," Stella told Fox News, adding that Parton often admitted she may have neglected her own well-being while caring for her husband in his final months.
Throughout her life, Parton’s foundation remained tied to her childhood in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, where her grandfather served as a Pentecostal pastor. She began singing in his church at just six years old, launching a career that blended faith, gospel, and country music.
Yet, as noted in a 2024 interview with New Humanist magazine, Parton remained fiercely respectful of others' beliefs, explaining, "Whether you believe in God or not... you need to believe in yourself and you need to believe there’s a force that can push you and lead you on."
Beyond her faith, Parton preserved her iconic image until the end, even sleeping in her makeup when visiting family, as Stella fondly remembered. Yet behind the glamour was a deeply practical businesswoman who avoided political friction so as never to divide her audience.
As Stella reflected on her sister's passing, she emphasized that Dolly Parton met her final hours with peace. "She knew where she was going," Stella told CBS Mornings. "She was prepared. Yeah, she was definitely prepared."
Read: Meet Dolly Parton's Family: The Loved Ones Behind the Music Icon
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