Dolly Parton‘s older brother David Wilburn Parton has passed away at the age of 82.
The news was shared by the 78-year-old country music icon’s sister, Stella Parton, on social media Friday (Nov. 15). The cause of death has not been disclosed.
“My brother David passed away peacefully this morning,” Stella wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s never easy to say goodbye to a loved one, but he got his angel wings and is now at peace.”
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Stella added, “It’s never easy to lose a loved one,” and mentioned that David died “in the early hours of the morning.”
On Threads, Stella wrote, “My brother David left us this morning. He finally got his angel wings. RIP dear soul. Love you forever.”
Dolly Parton had not publicly commented on her brother’s death at press time.
An obituary on the Farrar Funeral Home website confirmed that David Parton (referred to as David W. Parton) passed away on Nov. 15 at his home in White Pine, Tenn. He was preceded in death by his infant son, Donnie; his parents, Robert Lee and Avie Lee Owens Parton; and his brothers Larry, Floyd, and Randy Parton. David was retired from his role as a bridge builder superintendent at Simpson Construction.
David was one of Dolly’s 11 siblings. The Parton family has faced other recent losses, including the death of Randy in 2021 following a battle with cancer at the age of 67. Floyd Parton also passed away in December 2018 at 61.
At the time of Randy’s death, Dolly shared a heartfelt message on Facebook, saying, “My brother Randy has lost his battle with cancer. The family and I are grieving his loss, but we know he is in a better place than we are at this time. 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 who have gone on before and have welcomed him with joy and open arms.”
