Carl Dean health issues explored as Dolly Parton's husband of almost 60 years passes away at 82

American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly sixty years Carl Dean passed away at their home in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 3, 2025, at 82. The news was announced by the country musician’s representative on her Instagram account.

“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,” the statement read.

The post continued, “He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending. He was survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie… The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time.”

The causes leading to Carl Dean’s demise remain undisclosed. However, according to Yahoo!, he had allegedly been struggling with Alzheimer’s and other age-related health issues over the last few years.

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Exploring the health issues of Dolly Parton’s husband in wake of his demise

Over the years, Carl Dean had been battling hypertension and heart issues. In 2019, he was reportedly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. However, it came to public attention in November 2023 after Dolly Parton took a break from her career to take care of her husband, as reported by The Blast at the time.

A source close to the couple told National Enquirer back then that she had “chosen to take a step back from the stage to focus on what matters most -family” and let her “husband’s health” take “precedence” over her touring. The insider added that the 9 to 5 songstress wanted to ensure that she and Carl enjoyed “every last minute they have together.”

In another interview with Closer in December 2022, Dolly Parton doubled down on the insider’s points.

“We're getting older now, and I don't want to be gone for four or five weeks at a time. Something could happen. I would not feel right about that if I were gone and somebody needed me. Or I would feel bad if I had to leave a tour if somebody got sick at home and needed me, and then I had to walk out on the fans,” she shared.

The multiple-time Grammy winner mentioned how she would like to “stay a little closer to home with my husband” and no longer had the time or energy to host Christmas parties with celebrities and church choir in Beverely Hills, as she had done for a significant part of her career.

A spokesperson told the same outlet at the time that Carl Dean was no longer “active physically” as he once was and had slowed down and relied on his wife and the staff, adding Dolly Parton was “fiercely private about her personal life and protective of Carl.” They also added that the country music icon was relying on her faith and music to keep going in the face of Carl’s illness and stay strong.

During the CMA Fest in Nashville in December 2024, she told reporters that she wasn’t considering retiring permanently from her career. However, "I’ve always said if my husband was in ill health or needed me, I would most definitely pull way back," reported Entertainment Tonight at the time.

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Dolly Parton met Carl Deal at a laundromat in Nashville immediately after she arrived in the city. At the time, she was 18 and he was 22. They soon began dating, got engaged, and after two years tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia on May 1966. They never had any children.

Carl Dean, who was a retired asphalt-paving businessman, maintained a life away from the limelight and hardly even made public appearances with his wife. He was unphotographed for many years until he appeared on the background of the cover art of her 1989 album, My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy, as per Variety. He reportedly also inspired her iconic track, Jolene.

In May 2016, the couple announced via Dolly Parton’s website of their plan to renew their vows in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. The page also showed a rare picture of the pair together where Carl was seen kissing the Dollywood Foundation founder on the cheek in a picture from the 1970s or 80s.