Dolly Parton's Final Request to Her Sister Stella: 'Keep Me in Your Prayers'

Stella Parton sat down with CBS Mornings’Gayle King this week and shared something her sister Dolly asked of her in those final days. When Dolly knew her time was near, she didn’t ask for anything about music, business, or the legacy she built over a lifetime. She asked her little sister for prayer.“That’s the last thing Dolly asked me for, was prayer,”Stella said. That simple request says more about who Dolly was than any award or record ever could.

Stella also addressed the question so many fans have been carrying since Dolly passed on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer. Was it a broken heart that took her, just months after losing her husband Carl Dean? Stella doesn’t think so. She believes Dolly simply worked too hard and didn’t take care of herself the way she should have. About the illness itself, Stella stayed quiet out of respect, saying it was Dolly’s business. But she did share that Dolly was at peace and ready to be with her mama and daddy.

Dolly’s reach continues long after her passing. A SongTeller Hotel, a Life of Many Colors museum, and a Broadway musical are all still in the works, with her manager confirming she was working up until the day she died. That’s Dolly. Giving until the very end. So we want to hear from you: What’s your favorite Dolly memory, and how did her music touch your life?