Dolly Parton has shared her agony after her husband Carl Dean’s death on March 3, writing they “spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.”
Dolly Parton has shared her agony after her beloved husband Carl Thomas Dean’s death on March 3.
The 9 To 5 hitmaker married asphalt company owner Carl in Ringgold, Georgia back in 1966. Professionally, we know her as Dolly Parton, but she confirmed that ‘Dean’ is her officialy, and she signs contracts with Dolly Parton Dean. The pair renewed their vows in 2016 for their 50th wedding anniversary.
The singer shared an official statement on Instagram, which read: “Carl Dean, husband of Dolly Parton, passed away March 3rd in Nashville at the age of 82. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie.”
Dolly added her own heartfelt message, saying: “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
His cause of death has not been released.
Although the couple kept their marriage private, Dolly has spoken about it multiple times throughout her career.
Love story
Dolly moved from Tennessee to Nashville straight after her high school graduation. She was doing her washing at the local laundromat aged 18 when Dean drove by in his truck and stopped to tell Dolly she would catch a sunburn in her revealing dress.
Carl admitted: “My first thought was, ‘I’m gonna marry that girl’. My second thought was, ‘Lord she’s good lookin’’. And that was the day my life began.”
Speaking of their wedding day, Dolly said: “My mother made me a little white dress and a little bouquet. We found a little Baptist church in town, and went up to Pastor Don Duvall and said, ‘Would you marry us?’ We got pictures on the steps right outside the church.”
Open marriage
In her 2017 memoir ‘Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton’, the icon said: “He’s not jealous and I’m not jealous of him.
“He knows I flirt. He flirts too. Yes, it’s an open relationship, but not sexually and I would kill him if I thought he was doing that. He would shoot me too. At the end of the day we love each other madly.”
She told the Daily Mail: “Men are my weakness. Short, fat, bald or skinny – I’ve had crushes on some very unusual men but Carl knows I’ll always come home and I’m not having sex with these people – I’m just flirting and having fun.”
‘Arrest’
In one cheeky incident, Carl decided he would join Dolly on stage as one of her backing singers at the 1977 Kentucky State Fair. But when she decided to prank him back, things got a little out of hand.
She told a nearby police officer that she had no idea who “that man in the red shirt” was, pointing at her husband. The officer went over and detained him. Thankfully, Dolly’s tour manager Don Warden caught up with them before he could be carted off to the police station.
Emotional affair
Although Dolly has always denied reports of infidelity, she did admit to having feelings for an unnamed man that went too far.
She wrote in her book: “I was sitting upstairs in my bedroom one afternoon when I noticed in the nightstand drawer my gun that I keep for burglars. I looked at it a long time… Then, just as I picked it up, just to hold it and look at it for a moment, our little dog, Popeye, came running up the stairs.
“The tap-tap-tap of his paws jolted me back to reality, I suddenly froze. I put the gun down. Then I prayed. I kinda believe Popeye was a spiritual messenger from God. I don’t think I’d have done it, killed myself, but I can’t say for sure.”
Dolly always stressed the deep trust between the two, saying: “At the end of the day we love each other madly.”
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
