Freida Parton Remembers Dolly as More Than a Superstar: “She Was My Dolly Momma”

For Freida Parton, Dolly Parton was never simply the country music superstar known around the world. She was the older sister who climbed into bed beside her when they were both afraid of the dark, the sibling who helped raise her through her teenage years, and the person Freida could turn to whenever she needed someone.

Following Dolly’s death at 80, Freida has now shared an emotional tribute to the sister she affectionately called her “Dolly Momma.”

Freida, 69, posted the lengthy message on Facebook shortly after Dolly was laid to rest in Nashville on Friday, August 28. The private family service was held at Woodlawn Memorial Park, where Dolly was buried beside her husband, Carl Dean.

The message was accompanied by a photograph of the two sisters holding hands and smiling at one another.

“She was my Dolly Momma”

Freida began by thanking those who had supported her as she mourned.

“Thank you all for bearing with me as I mourn the death of my big sister,” she wrote. While the world knew Dolly as a superstar, Freida said her relationship with her was far more personal.

“To me, she was my Dolly Momma.”

Dolly was the eldest sister who remained a constant presence in Freida’s life. Freida recalled how, when they were young, Dolly would climb into bed with her because both sisters were afraid of the dark.

Their relationship later took on an even more important role. Freida said Dolly stepped in as a mother figure and raised her from the ages of 13 to 18.

“She was the woman who stepped up and became my Momma,” Freida wrote.

She also remembered one of the lighter moments from their years together. While Freida performed at Dollywood, Dolly tried to persuade her younger sister to wear her wigs onstage. Freida admits she ignored that particular piece of advice.

“Sorry, sister, but I definitely didn’t listen to you on that one,” she recalled.

Freida is the 11th of the 12 Parton siblings, making the bond between the two sisters part of a much larger family story.

Their relationship had its share of difficult moments

Freida did not portray their relationship as perfect. Like any sisters, they had disagreements and arguments over the years.

But those difficult periods never changed the love between them.

“Like all sisters, we definitely had our share of arguments and disagreements throughout the years,” Freida wrote. “But even through all the highs and lows, and all the laughter and tears, I never stopped loving her.”

That sentiment remained at the heart of her tribute. For Freida, Dolly’s place in her life could not be replaced, regardless of the disagreements they may have had.

Freida had previously asked fans to pray for Dolly

The loss also comes after Freida publicly asked fans to pray for Dolly when the singer was experiencing health problems.

In October last year, Freida turned to social media and asked Dolly’s supporters to keep her in their prayers after news emerged that the singer was dealing with health issues. At the time, the full extent of Dolly’s condition had not been made public.

Now, Freida is asking those same supporters to pray for her and the rest of the Parton family as they face what she described as an “insurmountable loss.”

“There will never be anyone who can replace her in our hearts,” Freida wrote, adding that she knew Dolly also held a special place in the hearts of many of her fans.

Freida said she intends to carry forward the spirit Dolly showed throughout her life, even as she struggles with the loss.

“I know she would want me to keep going, keep smiling, and keep sharing the love she gave so freely with others,” she wrote. “That is what I’m going to try to do, even on the days when it feels impossible.”

A special project is coming

Freida also ended her message with a small glimpse of what she hopes to do next.

She revealed that she is working on something “very special” for Dolly’s fans, although she did not disclose what the project will be.

For Freida, the project will be another way to hold onto her sister’s memory while giving Dolly’s many admirers something to share.

“It’s my way of keeping a little piece of my Dolly Momma with me, while sharing her with all of you who loved her, too,” she wrote.

She closed by thanking fans not only for the love and prayers they had given Dolly, but for continuing to support the family after her death.

“Thank you for loving her, for praying for her, and now, for loving and praying for all of us.”

Dolly Parton died at 80 after a brief battle with cancer

Dolly died on August 25 at the age of 80. Her team confirmed that she had experienced a brief battle with cancer, although the specific type of cancer was not disclosed.

Her death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from around the world. Among those remembering the country music legend have been friends and fellow entertainers including Carrie Underwood, Kevin Costner and Reba McEntire. Tributes have also come from members of the Royal Family.

Dolly was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Nashville three days after her death, with her immediate family gathering at Woodlawn Memorial Park. She was buried beside Carl Dean, her husband of nearly six decades.

The official obituary from Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Woodlawn Memorial Park described Dolly as having lived a “rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see.”

It also highlighted the qualities that extended beyond her music and songwriting, remembering her wit, warmth and kindness, as well as the sense of family she created for people around her. The obituary described her legacy as one of love, kindness and resilience and noted the impact of her seven-decade career on generations of artists and fans.

For Freida, however, Dolly’s legacy begins somewhere much closer to home.

Before the fame, the music and the millions of fans, she was simply her big sister.

And to Freida, she will always be her “Dolly Momma.”