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It’s been three days since Dolly Parton passed away, and her loved ones have now gathered to say goodbye to the country music legend.
Friends and family began arriving at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville today, where the beloved singer will be laid to rest beside her late husband, Carl Dean.
And while Dolly was famous for putting on a spectacular show, her family appears to be keeping her final farewell considerably more low-key.
According to Page Six, approximately a dozen of Parton’s closest relatives arrived at the cemetery, many carrying flowers and looking understandably somber.
Among those present was Parton’s nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver, who announced her death earlier this week on behalf of the family.
Seaver reportedly appeared to be running the show at the cemetery, coordinating with police and security personnel and greeting those who arrived.
There was apparently no shortage of security on hand, either.
An insider told Page Six that the gravesite was “crawling with cops” shortly before the family arrived, with one officer reportedly confirming that “the family is en route.”
It remains unclear whether Friday’s gathering was Parton’s actual funeral or simply a private family visit.
Her representative previously confirmed that Parton wanted a “small and private service” limited to immediate family members.
That request certainly seems fitting for a woman whose personal life remained considerably more private than her larger-than-life public persona.
Parton will be buried beside Dean, her husband of 58 years, who died in March at the age of 82. The couple’s names are already displayed together on the bronze frontispiece of their mausoleum, which features a picturesque Tennessee mountain scene.
Because, of course, even Dolly Parton’s final resting place was going to have a little Tennessee flair.
Parton reportedly planned to be buried wearing a cotton dress and her signature stilettos. She previously revealed that she wanted the country-gospel song “If We Never Meet Again” played at her funeral.
The song was particularly meaningful to her because it was her father’s favorite and was performed at his funeral.
Parton died Tuesday following a brief battle with cancer. Her death came after she had reportedly been hospitalized with kidney and autoimmune issues.
Her passing has prompted an outpouring of grief from fans, friends, and fellow celebrities, but her family has asked mourners to honor her legacy by donating to her Imagination Library rather than sending flowers.
And as Dolly’s loved ones prepare to lay her to rest, it seems the final chapter of her remarkable life will be exactly what she wanted: private, peaceful, and surrounded by family.
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