Dolly Parton and her family are in mourning this week after her beloved older brother David Wilburn Parton died on Friday. He was 82 years-old.
Dolly’s Brother David Passes Away
The death of David, who was the second oldest of Dolly’s eleven siblings, was confirmed by their sister Stella, 75.
“My brother David passed away peacefully this morning,” Stella wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “It’s never easy to say goodbye to a loved one, but he got his angel wings and is now at peace.”
“My brother David was always referred to as sweet David because of his kindness, loyalty and soft spoken demeanor,” she later added. “He was also a US Marine.”
“David retired from Simpson Construction as a bridge builder superintendent; and worked on many of the bridges in the Kingsport, Johnson City, and Knoxville areas,” it continues. “He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Kay Parton.”
Related: Dolly Parton Pays Heartbreaking Tribute To Her Uncle Billy Owens Who Passed Away
The Parton Siblings
David was the second of twelve children born to Robert and Avie Lee Parton. The twelve Parton children in order of their births are Willadeene, David Wilburn, Coy Denver, Dolly Rebecca, Bobby Lee, Stella Mae, Cassie Nan, Randel Huston “Randy,” Larry Gerald, twins Estel Floyd and Freida Estelle, and Rachel Ann.
The Parton siblings were raised in poverty in the Smoky Mountains. Their father was a tobacco farmer, and they lived in a modest one-room cabin in Locust Ridge. This site has since been turned into a museum honoring their legacy. The siblings lost their father in 2000, and their mother followed in 2003.
David is the fourth of the siblings to pass away. Larry died soon after his birth in 1955. Floyd, who was a songwriter, passed away in 2018 at 61. Randy, a talented performer in his own right, died of cancer in 2021 at 67.
Related: Dolly Parton Devastated After Her Beloved Brother Randy Passes Away
Dolly Honors Randy
“The family and I are grieving his loss but we know he is in a better place than we are at this time,” Dolly said after Randy’s death. “We are a family of faith and we believe that he is safe with God and that he is joined by members of the family that have gone on before and have welcomed him with joy and open arms.”
Dolly went on to describe Randy as being “a great singer, writer, and entertainer” who “sang, played guitar and bass in [Dolly’s] band for many years.”
“He headed his own show at Dollywood since it opened in 1986,” she continued. “He’s had several chart records of his own, but his duet with me on ‘Old Flames Can’t Hold A Candle To You’ will always be a highlight in my own career.”
At the time of this writing, Dolly has yet to publicly comment on David’s death. Unlike many of his siblings, David stayed out of the spotlight throughout his life.
Aside from his beloved wife, David is survived by two daughters Donna and Dena. He’s also survived by Lucas, who is described in the obituary as a “nephew/son,” as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Find out more about this in the video below.
Please join us in saying a prayer for the Parton family during this difficult time.
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