- Dolly Parton revealed her husband died at age 82 earlier this month
- The 9 to 5 singer met the entrepreneur when she was 18
- He kept largely out of the spotlight
Dolly Parton is “doing better than” expected after the death of her husband Carl Dean. She got hitched to the entrepreneur after they met on the streets of
The 9 to 5 singer’s man passed away at the age of 82 at the beginning of the month.
She told Knox News, “I’m doing better than I thought I would.
Read more: Who was Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean?
“I’ve been with him 60 years. So, I’m going to have to relearn some of the things that we’ve done. But I’ll keep him always close.”
Parton added that she is “at peace that he’s at peace” but it does not prevent her from “missing him and loving him”.
She continued that he “suffered a great deal” before explaining that the loss of him is “a hole in my heart, but we’ll fill that up with good stuff, and he’ll still always be with me.”
What else did Dolly Parton say about her husband Carl Dean?
While chatting about the amusement park Dollywood’s legacy for its 40th anniversary, Parton revealed that her husband was a frequent visitor but never coasted on what an icon his wife was. Dean insisted on buying his own ticket each time.
Dolly Parton has released a new song titled ‘If You Hadn’t Been There’ in memory of her husband Carl Dean.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 7, 2025
Stream: https://t.co/l8rG2gQHKx pic.twitter.com/6gXIhpg6sA
“He used to come to the park; he bought his own ticket – stood in line and got his ticket. He didn’t want somebody giving him a ticket ‘cause he was Dolly’s husband,” Parton told the news channel. “Everybody thinks that’s the funniest thing.”
The Coat of Many Colours singer admitted that he always had feedback for her park.
Doing an impression of him, she said, “He would say, ‘You need more bathroom. Or he would say, ‘You need to tell them this or that. It’s crowded over in that area. You might want to tell them they ought to do this or that.’”
“He wasn’t coming to criticize, but he would notice things and he would say, you might want to bring this to their attention,” she added.
Parton said she intended to “do like Carl” and “just walk around, look at everything.”
How did she announce the death of Carl Dean?
Like with many modern news stories, the news was first broken on social media.
“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie,” the announcement read.
Read more: Dolly Parton drops new song to honour her late husband
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 4, 2025
The milestone was also met with a new song, If You Hadn’t Been There’ inspired by his love.
“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,” Parton added.
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 6, 2025
