Going on two weeks after her death, the world continues to mourn the loss of the Dolly Parton and celebrate her life. And so does her family.
“The whole world is grieving. And we’re all crying for Dolly and we all miss her,” Dolly’s younger sister Freida Parton told Knox News during a phone interview Sept. 3.
“But no one misses her more than her own sisters and brother and nieces and nephews and cousins and all of us. And we will always miss her, but we will always remember all the things that she taught us all,” Freida continued.
Dolly was not just a global superstar to Freida. She was her “Dolly Momma,” and Freida remembers her a little differently than the world beyond Sevierville.
Dolly, the 'Dolly Momma'
Long before Dolly became a courageous pioneer in country music
and titan in the entertainment industry, she was a Smoky Mountain girl who sometimes feared the dark.
“She used to climb in the bed with me when I was little because she was afraid of the dark and so was I,” Freida said. “That's the kind of sister she was.”
Freida also recalled a car ride that she’ll never forget thanks to Dolly and her special gift for songwriting.
When Freida and her twin brother – the late Floyd Parton – were 13 and their younger sister Rachel was around 12, their mother Avie Lee Parton became sick and called Dolly to take care of the kids while she recuperated.
“So, here we go in Dolly's Cadillac, all the way to Nashville. And I remember her writing a song and patting the gas with the rhythm,” Freida recalled. “Now, that was an interesting ride all the way back to Nashville.”
The Parton family is grieving together
This summer has been tough for the Parton family. A month before Dolly died on Aug. 25, Dolly and Freida’s older brother Coy “Denver” Parton died July 23.
“We have hung together, prayed together, we’ve lost together, and that’s what we do,” Freida said of the family grieving two major losses within a matter of weeks.
Freida didn’t go into details about meaningful moments from the family’s private gatherings or memorial moments, though.
“There’s so many,” she said. “I don’t even know how to go there with you. And they’re probably private, too.”
Dolly was laid to rest Aug. 28 during a private ceremony at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville. She is entombed inside a mausoleum right next to her late husband, Carl Dean, who died in 2025.
It was Dolly’s request for the memorial to be a small affair for immediate family. Only about 10 people attended, Dolly and Freida’s niece Danielle Parton told the TODAY show on Sept. 3, alongside her cousin Heidi Parton.
“It was just precious,” Danielle said. “She was beautiful and peaceful. And to me, I don’t know if I want to say healing, but she was beautiful and she was at peace, and so that helped me be at peace with it,” she added.
A song for the world grieving Dolly
Heidi Parton recently shared with Knox News how she’s grieving and healing through music. Freida’s doing the same.“Music has always soothed our souls,” Freida said. “Music has always lifted us up and music will always do that. And now, I believe we're all just listening to Dolly Parton.”
Freida is releasing a personal song that she’s been holding onto for many, many years. She wrote “Teach Us How to Pray,” and it features Dolly, Freida and their sister Stella Parton’s family harmonies.
She said now is the right time to release it “because I believe people need prayer through everything in their life, and I believe that people need prayer now with the loss of Dolly.”
The song also goes back to where the family’s musical roots began: their grandfather’s church.
“We all got to sing there. And we got to sing harmony, and we got to praise the Lord and lift our voices and sing every Sunday and Wednesday night,” Freida recalled.
What Freida wants people to remember
Dolly will be remembered for many things, including her music, movies, Dollywood, her sense of humor and even her stilettos, big wigs and rhinestone outfits. But Freida wants the world to remember one thing about her sister.
“Her kindness. That’s what I don’t want people to forget, is Dolly’s kindness,” Freida told Knox News.
Even toward the end of her life, Dolly – who died after a brief battle with cancer and chronic health issues – was looking out for others. She had been trying an experimental drug in hopes that it would help people in the future, according to Freida and Stella.
“She was like that,” Freida said of Dolly, who had dedicated her life to giving back, lifting people up, and inspiring people to be their best and authentic selves.
As the family and world continue to grieve and celebrate Dolly’s impact, Freida wants fans to know this: “Dolly is looking down on all of us and Dolly will always love us.”
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Freida Parton remembers Dolly: ‘That’s the kind of sister she was’
