Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.
Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000).
A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.
At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at https://t.co/cLu9I7M2wC
In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at https://t.co/arzrqInqJA
BREAKING: The esteemed Virginia Theological Seminary releases a powerful statement supporting Bishop Mariann Budde after she called out Donald Trump to his face and became MAGA's Public Enemy #1.
This just poured fuel on the fire...
"We are proud of our alumna Bishop Marianne Budde for her faithfulness to the Biblical witness. To ask a President to be merciful is in the tradition of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible," the school's president Ian Markham president and dean wrote on Facebook.
"While the overwhelming response VTS has received about her sermon has been positive, we have also received various complaints about our work because of her training in our Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry programs," Markham continued.
"To be clear, we teach the Gospel as reflected in Holy Scripture. We support and stand alongside our Bishop alumna," he bluntly added.
This is the kind of courage that this moment in history demands. For daring to suggest that our so-called Christian president should show mercy and compassion, Bishop Budde has been inundated with hatred.
She stated that many Republicans now "wish me dead" thanks to her sermon at the National Cathedral and still she refuses to apologize or back down.
The Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States and the second oldest. Donald Trump picked a fight with our nation's religious leaders. He's losing badly.
Please retweet and ❤️ if you also proudly support Bishop Budde's sermon — and consider joining the growing exodus to Tribel, a new pro-democracy social network that is exploding in popularity because Twitter and Facebook are trying to stop its growth — which is only making Tribel grow even faster. Please follow us on Tribel to get all of our breaking news alerts sent straight to your phone or computer by clicking the following link: https://t.co/HnJzSKjCwX
In the voting booth, women still have the right to choose. New and important ad from @VoteCommon featuring Julia Roberts reminds women that no one will know who they voted for. Pass it on.