The death of Coy “Denver” Parton has sent a lot of people to the same question, and it is one the coverage keeps answering inconsistently: how big is the Parton family, and how many are left?

The Straight Answer

Dolly Parton has eleven siblings. She is one of twelve children born to Lee Parton and Avie Lee Owens Parton in East Tennessee.

Who Died — According to the Obituary Itself

Denver’s own obituary is the most reliable source here, because it lists exactly who went before him. It names:

  • Larry — infant brother
  • David — older brother
  • Randy — younger brother
  • Floyd — younger brother

It also names his parents, Lee and Avie Lee, and his wife Carolyn Parton.

So counting Denver himself, five of the twelve children have now died.

Why you are seeing different numbers. Two things are causing it. First, some counts leave out the infant brother Larry, which shifts every total by one. Second, coverage of an earlier Parton brother who also died at 82 is being mixed in with this one — the coincidence of age has led some write-ups to blur the two. When totals conflict, the “preceded in death by” line in the obituary is the thing to trust.

Who Survives Him

Siblings: Bobby Parton, Willadeene Buzzeo, Dolly Parton, Stella Parton, Cassie Griffith, Freida Parton, Rachel George and Laura Price.

Immediate family: daughters Chris Parton and Jennifer Parton; grandson Ian Parton; sister-in-law Kay Parton; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A private service is being held, with online condolences accepted.

What He Actually Did

This is the part worth pausing on. Denver was not in the music business. He spent his working life as a crane operator and helped build bridges. He was also a homestead farmer and an avid hunter.

The Parton family is usually written about through Dolly, and several siblings — Stella, Randy, Freida — did work in music. Denver did not. He built things.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many siblings does Dolly Parton have?

Eleven — she is one of twelve children.

When did Coy “Denver” Parton die?

Thursday, July 23, 2026, aged 82.

Which siblings died before him?

Larry (as an infant), David, Randy and Floyd.

What did he do for a living?

He was a crane operator who helped build bridges, plus a homestead farmer and hunter.

Why do reports give different sibling counts?

Some omit the infant brother, and some have confused this death with an earlier Parton brother who also died at 82.

Details per the published obituary and reporting by WBIR, WVLT, WYMT and Yahoo Entertainment, July 2026. Where outlets give conflicting sibling totals, this article follows the obituary’s own survived-by and preceded-in-death lists. Photo: Dolly Parton, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.