As you have likely heard by now Dolly Parton recently died at the age of 80 in Nashville, Tennessee.  Every morning I receive “The Morning” email from The New York Times in my inbox and Dolly Parton’s obituary was listed as “the most clicked” story the following day.  It is not surprising as Dolly Parton was hard not to like!* 

Of course country music fans in particular loved her music, spanning six decades.  Though it is worth noting that her musical talents transcended just one genre.  Dolly Parton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 after all.  Her theme park Dollywood brought thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to the communities of the Great Smoky Mountains where Dolly Parton hailed from.  She was an unwavering ally of the LGBTQ+ community.  And then there was the uncovered act of generosity where Dolly used the royalties she earned from Whitney Houston’s cover of her song “I Will Always Love You” to directly invest in Nashville’s black community. 

We could go on!  Dolly Parton distributed over 200 million books to babies and young children through her Imagination Library.  She gave millions away to victims of wildfires and hurricanes.  Not to mention $1 million donated to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center which helped fund the development of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.  Just consider the ripple effects of all these acts of generosity and kindness.

I found myself genuinely sad to learn of her death.  Maybe you were, too?  Perhaps this is because Dolly Parton’s life is a powerful example of someone truly being the hands and feet of Christ among us.  What an inspiration.

Grace & Peace,
Rev. Lauren

*Bill Friskics-Warren, “Dolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80” August 25, 2026, The New York Times.

Photo by Wes McFee on Unsplash

The Orange Peal Pastor’s Note 9/2/26