Dolly Parton’s Extremely-Non-public Husband of Almost 60 Years, Carl Thomas Dean, Dies at 82

Carl Thomas Dean has died on the age of 82. Dean married Dolly Parton in 1966 however eschewed the highlight. He by no means attended public occasions together with his spouse, and the nation star shared solely a handful of pictures of him over time.

Parton shared the information of her longtime partner’s loss of life through Instagram on Monday, March 3.

“Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, handed away March third in Nashville on the age of 82. He will probably be laid to relaxation in a non-public ceremony with rapid household attending. He’s survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie,” the publish learn.

“Carl and I spent many great years collectively. Phrases cannot do justice t the love we shared for over 60 years. Thanks in your prayers and sympathy,” the Instagram continued. “The household asks for privateness throughout this troublesome time.”

Dean was born in Nashville, Tenn., in 1942. He was certainly one of three youngsters born to Virginia “Ginny” Bates Dean and Edgar “Ed” Henry Dean. Parton shared in her 1994 guide Dolly: My Life and Different Unfinished Enterprise that Dean was near his grandmother Minnie Bates, 

Not a lot is thought of his life earlier than he met Parton in 1964 outdoors a laundromat. She was 18 and was staying along with her Uncle Invoice, having simply moved to Nashville to pursue her music profession.

“I would come to Nashville with soiled garments,” she instructed The New York Occasions in 1976. “I used to be in such a rush to get right here. And after I would put my garments within the machine, I began walkin’ down the road, simply lookin’ at my new house, and this man hollered at me, and I waved. Bein’ from the nation, I spoke to everyone. And he came visiting and, effectively, it was Carl, my husband.”

She continued, “I would not exit with him. I imply, that was somethin’ we was taught. You gotta know any person or they could take you on a again street and kill you. However I mentioned, ‘You are welcome to return as much as the home tomorrow as a result of I am babysittin’ my little nephew.’ ” Dean came visiting day by day that week, and the primary time they went out collectively, he took her to satisfy his mother and father.

“My first thought was ‘I am gonna marry that lady,’ ” Dean instructed Leisure Tonight in 2016 in a uncommon public assertion. “My second thought was, ‘Lord she’s good lookin.’ ” And that was the day my life started. I would not commerce the final 50 years for nothing on this earth.”

“I hadn’t supposed to marry,” she instructed the Occasions. “I hadn’t supposed to seek out anyone, however you know the way love goes. And he understood that I needed to do what I had come to Nashville to do.”

They married in Ringgold, Ga., in 1966. Their solely witnesses have been her mom, the pastor and his spouse. “We thought Ringgold as a result of we knew that was the place you may get your license and get married the identical day,” she instructed a neighborhood information station in Chattanooga, Tenn., in 2012. Parton instructed PEOPLE in 2012 of their wedding ceremony,  “It was the primary marriage for each of us. And the final.”

Parton’s star started to rise within the late Sixties, and whereas Dean supported her, he stayed far within the background and targeted on his asphalt enterprise. “He’s kind of shy and quiet,” she instructed PEOPLE in a 1977 cowl story. She was blissful to maintain their relationship separate from her work life. “What now we have collectively is so candy and good that I’d by no means need it to get jumbled up with the opposite.”

Nonetheless, Dean impressed certainly one of her most iconic songs: “Jolene.” However the “actual” Jolene didn’t attempt to “take” Dean; she was simply flirtatious with him when she helped him on the financial institution. “She received this horrible crush on my husband,” Parton instructed NPR in 2008. “And he simply cherished going to the financial institution as a result of she paid him a lot consideration. It was kinda like a operating joke between us — once I was saying, ‘Hell, you are spending lots of time on the financial institution. I do not consider we have that sort of cash.’ So it is actually an harmless track throughout, however feels like a dreadful one.” The title Jolene got here from a fan. 

Parton’s picture within the ‘80s was very horny, however she mentioned that by no means bothered Dean. “He isn’t jealous, and I am not both,” she instructed PEOPLE in 1981. “Carl is the one man in my life. I’d like to develop previous with him. If he ought to die first, I’ll by no means marry once more. My love is that deep.”

Dean stayed primarily at their giant house in Tara, outdoors of Nashville. One among his passions was shopping for and reselling vans and tractors. “He likes his freedom,” Parton instructed PEOPLE in 1982. “If I name him, that is superb, he ain’t expectin’ it. He would not like me house for lengthy as a result of it interferes together with his tradin’. So we by no means actually have any maintain on one another. And but now we have the last word maintain.”

In 1986, Parton’s Dollywood theme park opened, and whereas a lot of Parton’s family and friends have been featured within the park, Dean’s likeness was not, at his request. She instructed PEOPLE in 1986, “Carl mentioned, ‘I wish to go up there anytime I would like, and I do not need any person popping out of the museum and telling me, “You are Carl.” ‘ ” Parton did share occasional pictures of her husband on social media. 

“They are saying that opposites appeal to, and it’s true,” Parton defined to PEOPLE in 2015. “We’re fully reverse, however that’s what makes it enjoyable. I by no means know what he’s gonna say or do. He’s all the time stunning me.”

“My husband is an efficient man, to start with,” she mentioned. “He’s a deep particular person, however he has an awesome and warped humorousness. He makes me snigger and entertains me. He’s very safe inside himself.” In 2016, Parton and Dean renewed their wedding ceremony vows.

“I all the time joke and snigger when folks ask me what’s the important thing to my lengthy marriage and lasting love,” she instructed PEOPLE in 2018. “I all the time say ‘Keep gone!’ and there’s lots of fact to that. I journey lots, however we actually take pleasure in one another after we’re collectively and the little issues we do.”

“Our life is straightforward however straightforward. We do not even have that a lot firm at house. We similar to to be collectively,” she mentioned. They typically took mini-road journeys in her RV or had small picnics close to their home. 

Talking to PEOPLE in 2021, Parton mirrored on their many years collectively. “My husband and I, we’ve been collectively 56 years. We’ve simply been married 54 years this previous Could. However we nonetheless have our little occasions, like within the springtime when the primary yellow daffodils come out. Even when there’s nonetheless some snow round it, my husband all the time brings me a bouquet. And he’ll often write me somewhat poem. Which to me, that’s priceless.”

“He’s all the time supporting me so long as I don’t attempt to drag him in on it,” she instructed PEOPLE in 2019. “He’s all the time been my greatest fan behind the scenes, however he’s at house.”

Dean is survived by his spouse and siblings.