Carl Dean, the husband of country music icon Dolly Parton, has passed away at the age of 82. As per reports, he died on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee. The Dean was married to Parton for 60 years. The singer’s publicist confirmed the news, sharing that Carl Dean will be laid to rest in a private ceremony, with close family members in attendance. The cause of death has not been disclosed yet.
Dolly Parton’s statement
In a heartfelt statement, Parton reflected on their decades-long marriage, 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.”
Read the full statement here:
Parton and Dean’s love story began when they met outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville back in 1964, the day Parton moved to the city at 18 years old. In an interview, Parton fondly recalled the moment, saying, “I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face. He seemed genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.” Two years later, in 1966, the couple married in an intimate ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia.
Who was Carl Dean?
Carl Dean was a businessman who operated an asphalt-paving company in Nashville. He was born to Virginia “Ginny” Bates Dean and Edgar “Ed” Henry Dean and was one of three children. He is survived by his wife Dolly and his two siblings, Sandra and Donnie.
Parton and Dean kept their relationship private. They often joked about being out of the limelight. In an old interview, Dolly opened up about speculation around her husband saying, “A lot of people say there’s no Carl Dean, that he’s just somebody I made up to keep other people off me.”
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