COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio has ordered that flags be lowered to honor the life of legendary country superstar Dolly Parton, who called the Buckeye State her "second" home. Her dedication to literacy has helped more than one million Ohio children get access to free books.
Parton's publicist announced the news on Tuesday afternoon, hitting home for music lovers, voracious readers and even politicians.
Parton, who was 80, held many titles in her life; among them are country music singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist. Fans even nicknamed her "Saint Dolly" for her philanthropic work.
Through her nonprofit, the Dollywood Foundation, she provided scholarships and financial assistance to many. Her Imagination Library, started in 1995, has put more than 314 million books into the hands of children across the U.S and other countries for free.
The Imagination Library is a cause that's special to Gov. Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran's heart. They even named their dog, Dolly, after her.
The DeWine family was close with Parton and is "deeply saddened" by her loss.
They got to really know each other through the Imagination Library, which has helped provide nearly 28 million books to kids in Ohio since it started in 2019.
"Fran has the Dolly Parton Imagination Library," DeWine said during an event in early August. "It's now available to every kid in the state of Ohio under the age of 5. We are now at 430,000 kids every single month that get a free book in the mail, from birth to 5."
"She touched countless lives in profound and meaningful ways," Mrs. DeWine said Tuesday. "Her devotion to children and literacy is unparalleled."
Because of Parton and her Library, millions of children around the world are learning to read, which will "change the trajectory of their lives," she added.
"Her generosity and selfless spirit leave a legacy that will live on for generations to come," she continued. "We remain incredibly grateful for her compassion and commitment to others."
Back in 2022, Parton visited Ohio to share her program and connection to the state.
"I have to honestly tell you I'll be as proud of this as anything I've ever done," Parton said in 2022. "When they lay me down, I'll be thinking of the Imagination Library"
Parton loved Ohio, calling it her "second" home.
"We've met a lot of great people in Ohio, and this is kind of like a second state to us because many of my family live in Ohio, different parts — Cleveland, Akron, Willoughby. That's not around your area, I guess," Parton said during a Columbus visit. "But I used to visit Ohio when I was little to visit family, so we kind of claim you as our second state too, so thank you."
The governor has repeatedly said he wants his successor to continue giving books to kids. One of Parton's final requests for her fans wishing to celebrate her life is to make a donation to her Imagination Library.
Other than her charitable work, she had a profound impact on many through her music and theme parks.
She was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2022.
"Shock, I mean, what a loss," one Rock Hall attendee said Tuesday. "She's added so much to the American community and music."
She had a profound impact on a lot of people through her music, theme parks, and charitable work.
Brittany Benton, a local DJ who owns a record store, said Parton charted new territory for women in the industry by songwriting, owning her work and branching out into ventures that connected her with a diverse group of people.
"I think all around she was a force," Benton said. "If you take music off the table, I think Dolly was going to do great things anyway — her spirit and her efforts and her endeavors fed a lot of people."
No cause of death has been revealed, but she was 80. Last fall and this spring, she told fans she had been dealing with health issues.
Follow Statehouse and Columbus bureau reporter Morgan Trau on X, Instagram and Facebook. Email her at Morgan.Trau@wews.com.
