Dolly Parton Admitted She’s Still Trying To ‘Figure Out How To Be Without’ Late Husband Carl Dean

Jul 04, 2025 by apost team

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Country music icon Dolly Parton has opened up about her late husband during a segment with Entertainment Tonight on May 21, 2025. She revealed how she was coping after losing her husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, who passed away in March 2025.

The couple’s love story began in 1964 outside a laundromat in Nashville. By 1966, they were married. While Parton became a global star, Dean chose to live a quiet life away from the public eye. Their relationship lasted for 58 years, marked by deep love and mutual respect – an enduring partnership that remained steadfast through decades of fame and personal growth.

On March 3, 2025, the “Jolene” singer announced the heartbreaking news that Dean had passed away at the age of 82. A post shared by the singer read: “Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3 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.”

In that same announcement, she shared a heartfelt message about their time together: “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.”

Dean is survived by his siblings, Sandra and Donnie Dean. He and Parton did not have children, something the singer has spoken about with acceptance.

“God has a plan for everything. I think it probably was His plan for me not to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine. And they are now,” she said, expressing her belief in a broader purpose for her nurturing spirit.

Before his passing, Dean fondly recalled meeting Dolly in a 2016 interview with Entertainment Tonight.

“My first thought was ‘I’m gonna marry that girl,’” he had said, adding “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.”

During the Entertainment Tonight feature, Parton reflected on her decades-long bond with Dean. The 79-year-old got candid, saying:

“Of course I miss him. I’m having to really go through a lot trying to figure out how to be without him because I was with him for so long.”

She added with emotion:

“I’m holding up, I’m doing as well as one can after 60 years, being with and loving somebody.”

To pay tribute to her love, Parton released a deeply personal song dedicated to Dean on March 6, 2025. Speaking about “If You Hadn’t Been There,” she explained:

“When Carl did pass away, I thought, ‘I gotta do something so I’m just gonna put that song out as a tribute to him.’”

Parton also reflected on the conflicting feelings of mourning and acceptance, saying:

“He did suffer a lot for the last few years, and there’s a part of me that’s happy he’s at peace and at rest. But then of course, there’s that part of me that will miss him forever and long for him every day. For the rest of my life, I’m sure.”

She expressed heartfelt gratitude to those who reached out, noting how overwhelmed she felt by the outpouring of love and sympathy. According to her, she couldn’t “believe the amount of support” she received worldwide through flowers, cards, and kind messages.

Though Dean had stayed out of the public eye, his love story with Parton remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring.

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Love that stands the test of time is always worth celebrating. Who’s your favorite Hollywood couple, past or present? Let us know, and then pass this along to someone who loves a real-life love story!