Gov. Gianforte, First Lady mourn passing of Dolly Parton

Gov. Greg Gianforte and Montana First Lady Susan Gianforte mourned Tuesday the death of entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton.

Parton died Tuesday at the age of 80, according to the Tennessee Lookout.

She had experienced recent health issues, but her nephew, who announced news of her death, said she died peacefully, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“We join the nation and world in remembering Dolly Parton and mourning the loss of a global icon who dedicated her life to inspiring a love of reading in young children, leaving an incredible mark on millions of families across the nation and right here in Montana,” the Gianfortes said in a statement. “Dolly’s warmth, generosity, and passion for learning have brought stories, joy and opportunity into thousands of Montana homes. Her legacy as a champion for children will continue to inspire us all for generations to come.”

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the “preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world,” said the press release from the Governor’s Office.

The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation has gifted more than 332 million free books in five countries. Every enrolled child receives one high-quality book per month, at no cost to families, no matter their income, according to the Imagination Library.

In June 2023, the first lady joined the Dollywood Foundation in announcing the statewide expansion of Imagination Library in Montana, the news release said. Through the partnership, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides a free book each month to any Montana child, up to age five, who is registered with the organization.

Today, Imagination Library of Montana has 58 partners in all 56 counties serving nearly 30,000 children, about one in two of the state’s eligible children, according to the Governor’s Office. To date, more than 970,000 books have been mailed in Montana since the expansion, the news release said.

Gianforte ordered all flags in the state of Montana to fly at half-staff from Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. until Tuesday, Sept. 1, following President Donald Trump’s order to lower flags in honor of the country music star, the news release said.