Dolly Parton Wanted the 'Privilege of Privacy' for Her Intimate Burial, Singer's Sister Reveals: 'That Was Her Decision to Make'

Dolly Parton's sister revealed the reason behind her intimate burial.

Stella Parton reflected on her sister's life after she passed away on August 25 at 80 years old in an interview with Gayle King for CBS Mornings on Wednesday, September 9.

The country music legend was laid to rest on August 28 next to her late husband, Carl Dean, at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tenn.

The private burial was attended only by friends and family and was closed to the public, which Stella said was one of her sister's final requests.

"That was her decision to make," she elaborated. "She made that decision. This is what she wanted. In her public life, she gave it all she had."

Dolly spent most of her life starring on the stage and screen and became beloved across the world. While she had a very public career, she kept her personal life quiet and close to her chest, which was reflected in her funeral arrangements.

"All she wanted was the privacy and the privilege to be private and personal," Stella continued. "And what were we to do? We’re supposed to accept that."

Stella said that her sister was "at peace" when she died following a brief battle with cancer and ongoing "kidney and autoimmune issues."

"I know she was at peace," she told Gayle. "I could always tell by looking at her face, even if I hadn't seen her in months. On camera, I could tell if she was hurt, angry, happy or sad, or felt bad. I could see it on her."

Stella noted that her sister was confident that she would be going to a better place after her death.

"She knew where she was going," she added. "She wasn't going anywhere bad. She was going to be with Mama and Daddy."

The grieving sister felt Dolly had run into health issues at the end of her life because of her dedication to her career.

"I think my sister worked so hard for so long and just kept going," she explained. "You know, even to the last conversation I had with her, she was working. That was her passion."

Dolly's cousin Richie Owens previously echoed Stella's sentiments about Dolly's final wishes for how her legendary life would be celebrated.

"She wanted to keep it very quiet, and the word keeps getting brought up: ‘a funeral.’ I don’t believe that is really the case in the situation," he told the Today show. "It was a burial to be buried beside her husband, and she wanted it very small."

"Other people, I’m sure, would have liked to [have] been there, but were either out doing other things and stuff," he concluded. "It was very quiet, very quickly done and not for any bad reasons whatsoever. It’s just what she wanted. She wanted to keep it very, very private."