Dolly Parton Mourns Husband Carl Dean's Death at 82: 'Words Can't Do Justice'
Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, died at age 82 in Nashville on Monday.
The 79-year-old posted a statement on Instagram announcing Dean's death and asked for privacy during the time he and his family mourned the loss.
Dean is survived by his brother Donnie and sister Sandra, and the statement mentioned that "He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending."
No cause of death was announced.
A Love Story Spanning Decades
When Parton was 18, she first met Dean in 1964 outside a laundromat. They immediately connected, but Parton said she was also holding back and didn't want to go out with him at first.
In a 1976 interview with The New York Times, Parton recalled, per The Post, "I mean, that was somethin' we was taught. You gotta know somebody, or they may take you on a back road and kill you. The next day, he came to the house while she babysat her nephew. Dean rolled in and kept visiting every day that week, which led to their romance developing quickly and their wedding on day 30, 1966, in Georgia.
JUST IN: Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, has passed away at the age of 82 after nearly 60 years of marriage.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 4, 2025
Parton met Dean the day she moved to Nashville at 18 years old.
"I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for… pic.twitter.com/6kNWJxDnSR
Much like his father, Dean, a retiree who owned an asphalt paving company, shunned the limelight in Nashville. As his wife became a household name in the country music world, Dean chose to stay out of the spotlight. Parton quipped often, saying that he had only seen her sing once.
Though he preferred to keep out of the public eye, Dean was still a loving husband who went above and beyond for her. He recalled their initial meeting in a rare 2016 comment to Entertainment Tonight, "My first thought was 'I'm gonna marry that girl.' My second thought was, 'Lord, she's good lookin.'"
"And that was the day my life began. I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this earth."
Cherished Memories and Legacy
Though Parton and Dean didn't have any children together, Dean helped raise some of Parton's younger siblings. Their nieces and nephews affectionately called them "Aunt Granny" and "Uncle Peepas".
In 2011, Parton shared, "We're really very proud of our marriage. It's the first for both of us—and the last."
Parton honored their love throughout the years in her emotional tribute to his death, saying, "Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."
