It’s been a few weeks since Dolly Parton’s beloved husband Carl Dean, who she was married to for nearly sixty years, passed away at the age of 82.
Now, as she grieves, Parton is tragically revealing that he “suffered a great deal” before his death.
Parton Will ‘Keep Him Always Close’
Parton, 79, recently sat down with Knox News to open up about how she’s coping with Dean’s death.
Again, consider that she spent an entire lifetime with this man!
“I’m doing better than I thought I would,” Parton admitted. “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 was only 18 years-old when she met Dean at a Nashville laundromat back in 1964. This was actually the Parton’s first day in Nashville after she moved there from her small town to pursue her country music dreams. They married in 1966, and they had been together ever since.
“I’m at peace that he’s at peace, but that don’t keep me from missing him and loving him,” Parton continued.
Parton went on to explain that Dean “suffered a great deal” before he finally passed away. While she misses him dearly, it’s clear that she’s happy that he is no longer in pain.
“It’s a hole in my heart, you know, but we’ll fill that up with good stuff and he’ll still always be with me,” she said.
Related: Dolly Parton Releases Emotional New Song To Honor Late Husband Carl Dean Days After His Death
Dean’s Secret Dollywood Visits
Dean was notoriously private, and he always avoided the spotlight. While he didn’t go with Parton to entertainment events, he enjoyed visiting her amusement park Dollywood from time to time. When he did this, however, Dean didn’t use any VIP perks that would typically come with being Parton’s husband.
“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,” his wife recalled. “Everybody thinks that’s the funniest thing.”
“He’d come up to East Tennessee to see some of my family and people that he loved of my people,” she added. “And so, he’d just think, ‘Well, I think I’ll go to Dollywood, check things out.'”
Like Parton, Dean wasn’t big on rollercoasters. Instead, he would enjoy snacking on foods like funnel cakes as he walked around the amusement park. Afterwards, he’d always call up Parton to give her a few suggestions on improving the Dollywood experience.
“He would say, ‘You need more bathrooms,’” Parton said with a laugh as she imitated Dean’s voice. “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 remembered.
When asked what her own perfect day at Dollywood would look like, Parton made it clear that she thinks Dean did it right.
“I think I would do like Carl,” Parton concluded. “I would just walk around, look at everything.”
Dean’s Death
Parton previously announced that Dean died on March 3 at the age of 82.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” she said hours after his passing. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
Days later, Parton issued another statement thanking her fans and loved ones for their support.
“This is a love note to family, friends, and fans. Thank you for all the messages, cards, and flowers that you’ve sent to pay your respects for the loss of my beloved husband Carl,” Parton said. “I can’t reach out personally to each of you but just know it has meant the world to me.”
“He is in God’s arms now and I am okay with that. I will always love you,” she continued. This was a clear reference to her 1973 hit song “I Will Always Love You.”
This has clearly been an extremely difficult couple of weeks for Parton. Please join us in saying a prayer for her.
Rest in peace, Carl Dean.
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