Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, died Monday in Nashville, Tenn. He was 82.
Parton’s publicist confirmed his death to The Times.
The singer-songwriter and actress posted a short statement Monday evening on Instagram, writing that Dean will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” she said in the statement. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
Dean’s cause of death has not been announced and the family has requested privacy.
Parton and Dean got married on May 30, 1966, in Ringgold, Ga. According to Parton’s website, the only people to attend the small service were Dolly’s mother, Avie Lee Parton, a preacher and his wife. The couple had met two years earlier when Parton was 18 and Dean was 21.
Parton didn’t speak publicly about Dean often and the couple were rarely photographed together, as Parton’s site says Dean preferred to “stay in the background.”
Speaking to People magazine in 2015, Parton said, “My husband is a good man, first of all.
“They say that opposites attract, and it’s true,” she continued. “We’re completely opposite, but that’s what makes it fun. I never know what he’s gonna say or do. He’s always surprising me.
“He’s a deep person, but he has a great and warped sense of humor. He makes me laugh and entertains me. He’s very secure within himself.”
Dean is survived by Parton and his siblings, Sandra and Donnie.
