Weeks Before Her Death, Dolly Parton Shared One Last Message To Best Friend Judy Ogle

The world is mourning the loss of beloved country superstar Dolly Parton, who died at age 80 on August 25, 2026, after "a brief battle with cancer," as her reps noted in a statement to People. In the time leading up to her passing, the "9 to 5" hitmaker shared one final message to her assistant, and Parton's best friend, Judy Ogle, as she celebrated their decades-long friendship. In June, the Grammy winner posted a tribute on Instagram, for Ogle, in honor of National Best Friends Day. "I've always had a little bit of Tennessee with me at every point in my career, thanks to my best friend, Judy Ogle. She traveled with me, worked as my assistant and was there for anything I needed," Parton wrote at the time. "We had so many adventures and so many laughs — and I can't imagine my years on the road (or my life) — without her!" 

Longtime fans will recognize Ogle as an important figure in Parton's life. They grew up together in Tennessee and remained inseparable throughout the country superstar's music career. In fact, there was even speculation about them being romantically involved, despite Parton's admittedly private marriage to Carl Dean. "Judy and I have been best friends for 64 years, since we were little kids," the country star clarified to The Sun in 2019. "We were like ­sisters. [...] She was very quiet, I was very outgoing. So we made perfect friends." 

After high school, life took them down different paths, with Ogle joining the U.S. Army and Parton heading to Nashville to pursue her dreams of becoming a star. Ogle soon followed her, eventually working as the "Jolene" hitmaker's assistant. "We picked right up where we left off," Parton proudly shared in 2014, on "The Big Interview with Dan Rather." 

Dolly Parton described Judy Ogle as "the best friend that anybody could have" during her chat with Dan Rather. In the wake of her death, fans rallied around Ogle as she mourned the loss of her childhood friend. Under the country icon's Instagram post, many shared their condolences and words of support for Ogle, with one fan saying, "[I'm] so sorry for you loss, Judy. [May your] beautiful friend [rest] in eternal peace." Another wrote, "My condolences to Judy today. Must be so very hard." A third added, "So very sorry for the many who knew her. I thought of you, Judy, when I heard. Devastating. What a force she was!" As of this writing, Ogle has yet to release a public statement regarding her best friend's passing. 

Six of Parton's 11 siblings are still alive, alongside several other family members, including her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver. Fulfilling her wishes, he confirmed her death in a recorded video message posted to the Grammy winner's official Instagram account. "As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven't truly felt it 'til now," Seaver shared. 

The singer-songwriter had been dealing with health issues for a while. She even acknowledged neglecting her own well-being while looking after Parton's husband, Carl Dean, who passed away in 2025, at 82, in one of her final interviews. They were married for 58 years. Despite reports of her declining health, however, Parton reassured People earlier this month that she was still kicking, arguing, "It's not like I haven't been through hard times with my health."