Dolly Parton's Final Wishes Revealed: Cotton Beds & High Heels

Country music legend Dolly Parton's funeral will be a private affair for immediate family, honoring her personal wishes. A date has not yet been confirmed for the service. Parton expressed specific requests for her memorial, including the performance of Whitney Houston's rendition of "I Will Always Love You" and the hymn "If We Never Meet Again," a favorite of her late father.

Parton is slated to be laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, beside her husband of 59 years, Carl Dean. Her family revealed that she desired to be buried in a "beautiful bed of plush cotton," seeking comfort after a lifetime adorned in rhinestones. Despite this, reports suggest she may still wear her signature high heels.

Beyond funeral plans, Parton's enduring legacy is being celebrated through various initiatives. Her philanthropic endeavors, most notably Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which has distributed over 300 million books to children, will continue. The beloved book-gifting program was founded in honor of her father and has confirmed its ongoing operations.

Further tributes include a musical time capsule, "My Place in History," sealed at Dollywood's DreamMore Resort, not to be opened until what would have been her 100th birthday in 2046. Dollywood, temporarily closed to mourn its founder, plans to continue operations, embodying Parton's values of kindness and ambition. Additionally, legislative efforts are underway in Tennessee to potentially rename Nashville International Airport in her honor.