Dolly Parton Shared Why 59-Year Marriage To Carl Dean Worked

Singer Dolly Parton recently shared the tragic loss of her husband, Carl Dean, on social media. Prior to his death, the star has also talked about what her husband was like. During the conversation, Parton also shared what she believed helped her have such a strong marriage.

Dolly Parton Talked About Her Marriage To Carl Dean On A Podcast Months Before His Passing

This past Monday, Parton had shared the news of her husband Carl Dean’s passing on Instagram. He was 82 at the time of his passing, with the couple being married for close to 60 years.

Prior to his death, Parton appeared on Bunnie Xo’s “Dumb Blonde” podcast this past December. At the time, she touched on what her husband was like.

Dolly Parton-YouTube — Dolly Parton – YouTube

As noted by Page Six, Parton shared that she and Dean were a study in contrasts. She noted, “He’s quiet and I’m loud, and we’re funny.”

Parton also touched on why she thought she and Dean had such a strong relationship. She noted, “Oh, he’s hilarious. And I think one of the things that’s made it last so long through the years is that we love each other, [and] we respect each other, but we have a lot of fun.”

The singer noted that humor was also a big part of her and Dean’s healthy marriage. She noted, “Anytime [there’s] too much tension going on, either one of us can find a joke about it to really break the tension, where we don’t let it go so far.”

In Another Interview, The Star Touched On Spending A Whole Day With Her Husband

Parton also emphasized how she and her husband never went to bed angry. She noted, “We never fought back and forth. And I’m glad now that we never did, because once you start that, that becomes a lifetime thing. I’ve seen it with so many people, and I thought, ‘I ain’t ever starting that.’”

The star also felt she and Dean would never knowingly hurt the other. She shared, “I couldn’t bear to think that he’d say something I couldn’t take … because I’m a very sensitive person toward other people and myself.”

Dolly’s husband Carl Dean was diagnosed with alzheimers in 2019 here is one of the last pics of him seen in public #ripcarldean pic.twitter.com/EzANXcM39w

— Ms. Smith (@MsSmith17743658) March 4, 2025

According to People, Parton also once shared how much she enjoyed spending time with Dean. As she revealed at the time, “I had a day off and I got to spend that whole day with my husband.”

“I’ve worked so much that we don’t often have all the long, full days that we used to have when life was not as complicated. Anytime I have some time off, that’s always a good day for me and for him, for us to have time off.”

As previously reported, Dean will be put to rest in a private ceremony. The family had also asked for privacy for the time being. At this time, Dean’s official cause of death has not been publicly confirmed. Dean was 82 at the time of his passing.

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