CLEVELAND (WJW) — Dolly Parton has died. She was a country music legend, a comedic actor, a lover of reading and one of the most liked people on the planet. She also — perhaps surprisingly, as she’s from Tennessee — has ties to Northeast Ohio.
Back in 2022, Parton met up with Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine in Columbus for an event supporting her Imagination Library program — which sends free books once a month to kids up to 5 years old.
Dolly Parton in photos: Legendary lady dies at 80
During a conversation with DeWine, Parton admitted she knew Ohio well.
“We’ve met a lot of great people in Ohio. This is kind of like a second state to us because many of my family live in Ohio — different parts, Cleveland, Akron, Willoughby,” Parton said. “I used to visit Ohio when I was little to visit family so we kind of claim you as our second state.”
Tuesday, DeWine released a statement on the tragic passing of the 80-year-old philanthropist:…