By Norma Dittman Mary Lea Hemmen, Dundee, received a very special gift for her birthday this past July.
“I cried so hard, but they were happy tears,” she stated. “It’s quite a story, and one that I am very happy to share.”
Her gift was a personally hand-autographed photo from Dolly Parton. Not a stamped signature, but one written by Dolly herself.
“I have been a fan of Dolly Parton and her music for decades, but never expected to receive such a gift,” Hemmen declared.
Hemmen is an aunt to Paula Harvey, (daughter of Mary Lea’s sister Diane Pollack Danielson). Paula lives in Sioux Falls. She is married to Tod, and the couple have a son, Austin.
A few years ago, Austin met a member of the Parton-Owens family, Kam, who is a second cousin to Dolly. In time, Kam decided to move to Sioux Falls to be near Austin.
“It was then that Austin told us that Kam is closely related to a very famous country singer,” Paula stated. “So, of course, I asked him if he could tell me who it was.”
Austin’s response took Paula by completel surprise. The nonchalant reply was, “Well, you might know of her, but I don’t. I’m not really a country music fan. Her name is Dolly Parton. Do you know who that is?”
Paula’s response was a stunned, “You’re kidding, right? Austin was very surprised when I explained that Dolly was an international celebrity. I told him a bit of her story, and what I knew about her growing up years from the movie “Coat of Many Colors”, and about her musical family.”
In June of 2024, Parton - Owens family members, along with certain others, were invited to attend the taping of Dolly and her family’s “Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables”. This, of course, meant that Austin, along with Paula and Tod, were invited to be in the audience.
“We were in the seventh row for this taping. I have to state again that attendance was by invitation only,” Paula said. “During the taping, Dolly would introduce family members and they would sing different songs. Several of them were family songs learned from her mother during her childhood. She’d tell a story about her mom’s favorite song and then she’d sing it or she and other family members would sing it together. It was so very beautiful to hear the blend of the voices. That family has such an abundance of musical talent.”
Paula said that there were many times during the taping that Dolly would say, “Cut”. “She’d say that the song wasn’t going quite the way it should and the family would sing it all over again. But, she was always so kind and down-toearth. She’d joke about whatever was going on and get laughter from the audience.”
“Dolly’s husband, Carl, was there, too, and Dolly introduced him. He was there to celebrate their their 60th wedding anniversary and lend Dolly support during the taping,” Tod added.
Rolling ahead to July of 2026, the Hemmen Family Christmas in July was planned for July 18th.
“We started doing Christmas in July 2017, as it is so much easier than having to have people travel during winter weather. Tod and Paula started hosting it, and have ever since, Hemmen said. “ We have such a fun time together! Watching the excitement of the little ones! Everyone brings food.... so much food!”
This year’s Christmas in July was held at Paula and Tod’s residence in Sioux Falls.
“We also celebrated my 86th birthday,” Mary Lea stated. “I was standing in the kitchen and Kam came up behind me, and said, ‘Mary, I have a special gift for you.’ That’s when I was handed a flat envelope, and told that I needed to open it right away and see what was inside.”
Inside was a personally handauthographed photo of Dolly in a pink, bejeweled outfit. “I never dreamt that I would receive such a wonderful gift!” Mary Lea said. She has placed the photo in a prominent place in her living room - one where, when she is sitting and resting, the photo is always in sight.
Mary Lea’s photo is authographed with the words “To Mary. Love, Dolly”.
Paula and Tod have their own personally hand-autographed photo of Dolly, which they brought along to show Mary Lea. In their photo, Dolly is in a white and black outfit. The photo is authographed with “To the Harvey Family. Love, Dolly”.
“There were special family breakfasts that were also hosted by Dolly, and held by invitation only. Dolly would always make her way around to each table of people and spend time visiting with everyone. Just so very common, and enjoyable,” Tod stated.
“No matter what the situation, Dolly was always so gracious, and so ‘real’...so very common and down to earth. She was so very famous, but look at all of the good that she has done for so many people. So many were so blessed to know her,” Paula commented. “Her death brought a lot of grief and tears - not only for her family members, but for so many of us.”
Dolly Parton passed away on August 25th, 2026, at the age of 80 years.
