Dolly Parton and Carl Dean were married for nearly 60 years, tying the knot in 1966. Parton confirmed Dean’s death on Monday, announcing he passed away on March 3 at the age of 82.
Throughout their marriage, Parton frequently expressed admiration for Dean and their lasting relationship. In a 2019 interview with Robin Roberts, she shared how they met outside a laundromat when she first moved to Nashville at the age of 18.
“There was a laundromat near my apartment, and the day I went there, this good-looking man drove by. He said, ‘You’re gonna get sunburned out here.’ I responded, ‘What’s it to you?’ We started talking, and two years later, we got married. We’re still married,” Parton recalled.
Though Dean remained out of the public eye, he briefly shared his feelings about their relationship in 2016, during their 50th wedding anniversary when they renewed their vows.
“My first thought was, ‘I’m gonna marry that girl.’ My second thought was, ‘Lord, she’s good-looking,’” he told Entertainment Tonight. “That was the day my life began. I wouldn’t trade the last 50 years for anything.”
In a 2020 interview with People, Parton reflected on how they kept their marriage strong over the decades.
“We still have our special moments, like when the first yellow daffodils bloom in the spring. Even if there’s snow around, my husband always brings me a bouquet and usually writes me a little poem,” she shared. “To me, that’s priceless. It’s like a date in itself.”
