Goodbye Dolly

By now, everyone knows of the passing of Dolly Parton on August 25, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer.  Known as the Queen of Country, Parton was a singer-songwriter (having written more than 3,000 songs), actress and businesswoman. Not only was she one of the most successful country music performers in history and among the best-selling musical artists of all time, she was also known for her philanthropy through Dollywood and the Dollywood Foundation. 

While I have always enjoyed her music and her self-deprecating sense of humor, I admired her most for her approach to life which is best represented by the following quote.

"You have to be serious about what you do, but you can't take yourself too seriously." — Dolly Parton

Therefore, it is in this spirit that I share excerpts from the following article that underscores one particularly significant aspect of Dolly’s legacy in the hope that it will inspire you to consider what your legacy will be.

A Heart as Big as Her Hair: Dolly Parton’s Charitable Legacy

by Anna Sulkin Stern

Legal Editor, Trust & Estates

September 2, 2026

Featured in Wealth Management by Informa…

When Dolly Parton passed away on Aug. 25, 2026, at age 80, the world lost not only a country music icon but also one of entertainment’s most prolific philanthropists. Over her lifetime, Parton gave generously to causes ranging from childhood literacy to disaster relief, leaving behind a charitable legacy as enduring as her music.

Parton’s philanthropy began in earnest in 1988 when she established the Dollywood Foundation in her home county of Sevier County, TN with the goal of reducing the high school dropout rate by promising $500 cash to everyone who graduated. The initiative was remarkably successful. The dropout rate plummeted from 35% to just 6%, according to the Dollywood Foundation.

But Parton’s most significant charitable achievement came in 1995 when she created Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, inspired by her father, an illiterate sharecropper and tobacco farmer. The program mails free, age-appropriate books to enrolled children from birth to age five. What started as a local initiative in Sevier County has grown into an international movement, with the organization distributing over 300 million books last year.

Parton’s generosity extended far beyond literacy. In 2020, she donated $1 million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a contribution that helped support research leading to the development of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. She also funded pediatric infectious disease research at Vanderbilt and supported HIV/AIDS-related charities.

Parton’s empathy knew no borders; however, she was particularly passionate about charitable causes in her home state of Tennessee. When wildfires devastated Gatlinburg, Tenn. and surrounding areas near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2016, Parton helped raise $12.5 million to support victims and rebuild the area. According to TIME, she gave $1,000 per month for six months to families who lost their homes.

In October 2024, Parton partnered with the Mountain Ways Foundation to donate $1 million toward Hurricane Helene relief in East Tennessee, with her businesses and the Dollywood Foundation contributing an additional $1 million. She also committed $500,000 toward a new hospital and cancer center in Sevier County and provided scholarships, including a $15,000 annual Dolly Parton Scholarship at each high school in her home county.

This past February, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville was renamed the Dolly Parton Children’s Hospital after receiving an undisclosed amount described as a “generational commitment” from Dolly.

Parton’s philanthropic efforts have been recognized throughout her life. Honors she’s received include the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service in 2007, the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2022 and being included on TIME's 2025 TIME100 Philanthropy list.