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Stella Parton is opening up about her sister Dolly Parton's final days, her decades-long marriage to Carl Dean and the country icon's state of mind before her death at 80.
Speaking with Gayle King on CBS Mornings on Sept. 10, Stella said she does not believe Dolly died from a "broken heart" after Dean died in March 2025. While she acknowledged that her sister was deeply affected by his death, she said Dolly's demanding work ethic and failure to prioritize her own health played a larger role in her illness.
"I think she was very sad, but I don't think that's why she got sick," Stella said. "I think she worked too hard and didn't take as good care of herself as she should."
Stella said Dolly and Dean had a relationship that was "very unique and very deep and loyal," and that watching his health decline before his death was painful for her.
"I think it broke her heart to see him in the shape that he got to before he passed away," she said, while maintaining that Dolly continued working almost until the end.
Dolly had spoken about her health publicly shortly before her death. On Aug. 21, she told PEOPLE that she was dealing with health problems she had neglected while caring for Dean.
Despite her health struggles, Stella said Dolly remained optimistic. She also revealed that one of their final conversations carried a deeply personal request.
"The last thing Dolly asked me for was prayer," Stella said.
Stella, who spoke with her sister every Tuesday morning over coffee, also said she believed Dolly was at peace when she died following a brief battle with cancer.
"She knew where she was goin'," Stella said. "She wasn't goin' anywhere bad. She was going to be with Mama and Daddy."
The younger sister also remembered Dean as a quiet and private man who adored Dolly but had little interest in her celebrity status. According to Stella, he would have preferred seeing Dolly at home, away from the spotlight, but was proud of what she accomplished.
"He loved her enough to let her be what she was," Stella said.
Above all, Stella said she will remember Dolly for her kindness, talent and optimism. She described her as someone whose creativity had no limits and who encouraged others to believe they could dream beyond their circumstances.
"Her creativity had no bounds," Stella said. "She could dream bigger than anybody."
