Dolly Parton's Niece Gets Tattoo in Her Honor After Singer's Cancer-Related Death: 'Means So Much'

Lainey Parton is honoring her late great-aunt Dolly Parton with a memorial tattoo following her death at 80 years old.

"This tattoo means so much more to me than just another piece of ink," Lainey wrote on Instagram. "It's something I'll carry with me forever and a little reminder of my granny that I'll always have with me."

Lainey shared the post after getting the tattoo from Kingsport artist Justin Harless, who gifted her the piece in Dolly's memory.

Lainey admitted she was initially uncertain about adding another tattoo before remembering why she wanted this one.

"I'll be honest, I was really unsure about getting another tattoo at first… but then I remembered I've gotten tattoos for a LOT dumber reasons, so here we are," she wrote.

The decision ultimately became less about getting another piece of artwork and more about creating something that would keep Dolly's memory close.

Lainey said the tattoo was something she would always have with her as she moved forward without Dolly.

Lainey thanked Justin for creating something she viewed as much more than a tattoo.

"Justin, thank you for gifting me something so special and for putting your time, talent, and heart into it," she wrote. "I truly appreciate you more than you know. This is something I'll cherish forever."

Justin also shared his reaction after working with Lainey.

"Today I had the overwhelming honor of doing a memorial tattoo for @thelaineyparton to honor her Granny, the most incredible woman that has ever lived, @dollyparton," he wrote on Instagram.

"I can't even put into words how much it means to me for her to ask me to do this," Justin wrote. "I will forever be grateful for the opportunity."

Dolly died on August 25 following a battle with cancer. She was laid to rest in a private funeral in Nashville attended by family and close friends. Entertainment Weekly reported that the service honored the singer's wishes for an intimate farewell.

"I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean," Bryan Seaver, the son of Dolly's sister Cassie Parton, announced in a video shared to the singer’s account on Tuesday, August 25. "Sister, sis, aunt, granny to one generation and Gigi to the next. This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago."

Lainey — who has long been part of Dolly's extended family and creative world, including appearing on the family album Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith & Fables — also shared a sweet tribute to the legend.

"This is a really hard post for me to make," Lainey Mae wrote on social media following the funeral. "I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words."

"From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough," she continued. "She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself. Because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers," she wrote. "She loved us that way, and I’ll forever be grateful for that."