Dolly Parton's sister hits out at 'strangers' with emotional plea after her death

Dolly Parton's sister Stella has been forced to address the 'endless garage' being posted online about the singer following her recent passing.

Dolly died at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer on August 25, leaving the world heartbroken.

Her death comes a year on from her husband; Carl Dean died at the age of 82 in March 2025. The pair had been married for nearly six decades.

Stella Parton, one of the country music icon's 11 siblings, paid tribute to her beloved sister after her death and has now spoken out once more.

"First let me say, thank you to the ones of you who have shown 'genuine' support and love during this time of our family bereavement," she wrote on Instagram on September 4, adding: "We will be okay in time but each of us will grieve in our own personal way."

Stella continued: "Every human being experiences pain and loss in life and my family is no different.

"Sadly, because of the way our lives have been lived in front of the public, we have no choice but to be subjected to incredible pressure and insensitivity from strangers.

"There is a tremendous amount of AI and endless garbage being posted everyday and it’s been challenging to absorb and or ignore.

"As time passes, those who are in the business of exploiting the loss and tragedies of others on a daily basis will move on to the next stampede of endless misinformation."

On a more positive note, Stella went on to say that her older sister Dolly would have been 'surprised and delighted' by the love her family has received since her death last month.

"She loved her fans and the public in general. That is the reason she chose not to express her opinions on a lot of things like politics, religion and individuals in the public eye," Stella's message concluded.

Dolly was laid to rest in a private ceremony with her family on Friday, August 28. She was buried next to her late husband Carl Dean at the Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville.

Her cousin Richie Owens shared some insight into Dolly's funeral and said that she always wanted it to be 'very private'.

Speaking on Today earlier this week, he said: "She wanted to keep it very quiet. The word keeps getting brought up, 'funeral' and I don't believe that was really the case in this situation. It was a burial, to be buried beside her husband."

Owens continued: "She wanted it very small, and a few family members were there. Other people that I'm sure would've liked to have been there were either out doing other things and stuff.

"It was very quiet, very quickly done, and not for any bad reasons whatsoever, it's just that's what she wanted. She wanted to keep it very, very private."

A timeline of Dolly Parton's charity work

The country singer has been fondly remembered for her generosity and how much she gave back to local communities across the United States, as well as contributing to education, welfare and animal rights. Here's a list of everything she did to help others:

The Dollywood Foundation

In 1988, Parton originally launched the organization in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee, with the goal of decreasing high school drop out rates. She then launched the Buddy Program, which saw Parton give every seventh and eighth grader who finished high school $500.

According to the organization, the initiative was successful and the dropout rate declined from 35 percent to just 6 percent.

Eagle Mountain Sanctuary at Dollywood

In 1991, the Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee partnered with the American Eagle Foundation (AEF) to open a 30,000-square-foot aviary that sheltered the largest collection of 'non-releasable' bald eagles.

This partnership 'helped introduce millions of Dollywood guests to America’s national symbol and to the importance of protecting bald eagles and other birds of prey', according to the AEF's website.

Imagination Library

In 1995, the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library was founded and inspired by Parton’s father, who was unable to read. It began sending one book per month to each enrolled child in Sevier County from birth until their first year of school.

In 2025, it was announced that the Imagination Library gifted more than 40.3 million books, bringing the program’s total books gifted since its launch to more than 304.5 million.

The Dolly Parton Scholarship

According to the Dollywood Foundation, the scholarship - an annual award granting $15,000 each to five high school seniors in Sevier County, Tennessee - is awarded to those who 'have a dream they wish to pursue and who can successfully communicate their plan and commitment to realize their dreams'.

My People Fund

After previously working hard to aid wildfire relief in Tennessee in 2016, Parton launched the My People Fund, which provided $1,000 a month for six months to families whose homes were completely destroyed by the fires.

The fund also donated around $8.9 million to those in need.

$1 million donation to a children’s hospital

In 2017, Parton made the staggering donation to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in honor of her niece, who was treated for leukemia at that hospital.

She made another $1 million donation to the same hospital in 2022, this time aiming to help pediatric infectious disease research.

Covid-19 vaccine donation efforts

Parton donated $1 million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, which helped fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Tennessee flooding relief

$700,000 was raised by Parton and her Smoky Mountain businesses in 2021 to help residents impacted by the catastrophic flooding in Middle Tennessee.

Dollywood education coverage

In 2022, the Dollywood Co. announced that it will cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for any employee who is furthering their education.

The program is available to all seasonal, part-time and full-time employees at Dollywood Parks & Resorts.

$1 million donation to the Salvation Army

In late 2023, the singer donated another generous $1 million to the Salvation Army, with the money going towards food and grocery programs in the US.

$2 million donation toward Hurricane Helene relief

Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024, which affected areas across Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Parton donated $1 million from her own funds for the Mountain Way’s Foundation, which provides assistance to flood victims.

Her East Tennessee businesses and the Dollywood Foundation also pledged an additional $1 million.