Dolly Parton Didn’t Want Her Family to See Her on Her Deathbed – But Made One Exception [Report]

Donny Meacham Thu, September 24, 2026 at 6:05 AM UTC

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©Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Dolly Parton‘s final days were kept remarkably private, even from some of the people closest to her.

The country music icon reportedly had a very specific request about who could see her as she neared the end of her life — one that meant her family couldn’t be by her side in the way they might have expected.

But Dolly made one exception, and that exception had everything to do with how she wanted to be remembered.

Dolly Parton’s Final Request

According to sources who spoke with TMZ, Dolly did not want anyone to see her on her deathbed because she didn’t want her loved ones to remember her in that condition.

Read More: Dolly Parton’s Sister Freida Breaks Her Silence on Family’s Estate Battle

There was one person she allowed to be there: Cheryl Riddle, Dolly’s longtime wig and makeup artist.

Riddle’s presence wasn’t simply for company. Dolly wanted her to prepare her after her death, making sure she looked the way she wanted for her final goodbye.

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Dolly had an open-casket funeral, so Riddle’s work was ultimately part of the way family and friends saw the country icon for the last time.

The Family Members Who Couldn’t See Dolly

Dolly’s siblings were reportedly prevented from seeing her on her deathbed, honoring the singer’s wishes about how she wanted to be remembered.

Read More: Dolly Parton’s Final Request to Sister Stella Before Her Death

There was, however, another family member who saw her shortly before she died.

Bryan Seaver, Dolly’s nephew and longtime head of security, reportedly visited his aunt the day before her death. During that visit, Dolly told Seaver that she wanted him to announce her passing.

Seaver wrote and recorded the announcement at Dolly’s studio, and it was shared on her social media accounts the day she died.

Dolly Parton’s Final Days

Dolly died at 80 following a private battle with cancer.

The singer had kept her health struggles largely out of the public eye, and even in her final days, she reportedly maintained control over who could see her and how she would be remembered.

For Dolly, that meant asking the people she loved not to see her at her most vulnerable — while making one carefully chosen exception to ensure her final appearance reflected the woman they knew.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”