Dolly Parton has been mourning the death of her husband, Carl Dean, who passed away on March 3 at the age of 82. Recently, the singer-songwriter opened up about coping with his death, heartbreakingly saying that there’s “a hole” in her “heart.” Although Parton is devastated by the loss, she has been holding tight to the memories of their 60 years together. The couple secretly got married in 1966 and had no children together.
Dolly Parton shares she’s doing ‘much better’ after husband Carl Dean’s death
Dolly Parton recently made her first public appearance following the death of her husband, Carl Dean. According to Knox News, the 79-year-old surprised fans on March 14 at the opening celebration for the 40th season of Dollywood, which Dean was spotted visiting a couple of times. During an interview with the outlet, Parton opened up about coping with the loss of her beloved husband. She even recalled how “he used to come to the park” and “bought his own ticket” because “he didn’t want somebody giving him a ticket ’cause he was Dolly’s husband.” She said, “Everybody thinks that’s the funniest thing.”
Parton also noted that she is “doing better” than she thought she would. The country singer continued, “I’ve been with him 60 years,” and added, “So, I’m going to have to relearn some of the things that we’ve done.” Parton then said that she will keep Dean “always close.” Following that, the singer also expressed her heartache over the loss and said, “It’s a hole in my heart.”
However, Parton continued, “But we’ll fill that up with good stuff and he’ll still always be with me.” Previously, the actor also penned a touching tribute to her late husband in an Instagram post. Parton shared a loving photo and wrote in the caption that she “fell in love with Carl Dean” when she was 18. The country artist recalled their “60 precious and meaningful years together.”
Parton wrote, “Like all great love stories, they never end,” and added, “They live on in memory and song.” The singer-songwriter shared that her late husband “will always be the star” of her “life story.” Parton then dedicated the song “If You Hadn’t Been There” to Dean.
