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(Gray News) – Dolly Parton, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80, left behind siblings, nieces, nephews and friends, but no children of her own.
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Parton was married to her husband Carl Dean from 1966 until his death in 2025. They never had children, but Parton explained their decision in several interviews over the years.
Parton was diagnosed with endometriosis and had a partial hysterectomy in her 30s, which affected her ability to have children.
“I didn’t have children because I believed that God didn’t mean for me to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine,” she said in a 2020 episode of “The Oprah Conversation.”
Parton also said that not being a mother gave her independence that helped her career thrive.
“Since I had no kids, and my husband was pretty independent, I had freedom,” she said. “So I think a big part of my whole success is the fact that I was free to work.”
Parton said not having children of her own gave her and Dean the opportunity to be generous with their nieces and nephews.
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“The older [Carl and I] get, the gladder we are that we don’t have [kids] now, because we take care of a lot of other people’s kids. We buy new cars for all the nieces and nephews that graduate, we send any to college that want to go,” she said in a 2003 interview with Rolling Stone.
Parton said she and Dean did not regret their decision not to have children.
Parton was also the godmother of singer Miley Cyrus.
“I’ve known her since she was a baby. I’m so proud of her, love her. And she’s just like one of my own,” Parton told ABC News in 2009.
Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew, announced her death on Tuesday.
“My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next,” he said.
Parton died after a “brief battle” with cancer at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Variety later confirmed.
“Rest in peace, Aunt Dolly — Aunt, Granny, Gigi. May God bless Dolly Parton, and may God bless you all. She will always love you,” Seaver said.