Dolly Parton‘s brother, Coy “Denver” Parton, passed away on July 23 at the age of 82.
He was the third of 12 children born to Avie Lee Owens Parton and Robert Lee Parton. His death marks the fifth of Dolly’s siblings to pass away, following brothers Larry, David, Randy and Floyd.
No cause of death has been disclosed.
Denver spent decades working as a crane operator, building bridges throughout his career, the obituary said. Outside of work, he was also known as a homestead farmer and an avid hunter. He lived in Sevierville, the same Sevier County community where the Parton family grew up.
According to an obituary posted by Atchley Funeral Home in Sevierville, Tennessee, Coy is survived by his daughters, Chris Parton and Jennifer Parton, grandson Ian Parton and his fiancée, Taylor York, brother Bobby Parton and sisters Willadeene Buzzeo, Dolly, Stella, Cassie Griffith, Freida, Rachel George and Laura Price.
He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Kay Parton and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins. Denver was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Parton, along with his parents, Avie and Robert.
A private service was planned for Denver, with the funeral home noting that online condolences would be accepted in place of public visitation. As of this report, Dolly has not issued a public statement about their brother’s death.
Stella addressed her brother’s death in a statement to People, “My brother Denver was a deeply private person. I appreciate the kind messages and expressions of condolences on behalf of my nieces, Chris and Jennifer and the rest of my family.”
The singer has previously opened up on the pain of losing a sibling, telling People, “Losing your parents is one thing… but that’s the natural progression of life. You accept and embrace that change from having parents to being an orphan. But you don’t accept that as easily with a sibling.”
“Siblings are closer than anyone, really, because you’ve had them with you your whole life. I didn’t realize it would be such a painful experience,” she added.
Denver was frequently described as the sibling who stayed farthest from the spotlight. A 2025 profile on the Taste of Country website called him “perhaps the most private of all the Partons,” with very less information about him floating on the internet.
His death comes less than a year after Dolly, 80, lost her husband, Carl Dean, in 2025 after nearly 58 years of marriage. Like Denver, Dean largely avoided the spotlight and rarely appeared alongside Dolly at public events.
