Dolly Parton found the love of her life back in the ’60s when she first met her late husband, Carl Thomas Dean, an accomplished businessman. The two met in Nashville and married in 1966. Although Dolly became one of country music’s biggest voices, the public rarely ever saw Carl. Nevertheless, the two enjoyed a long and happy marriage until he died in March 2025. While Carl and Dolly likely lived a wealthy lifestyle thanks to her net worth, that did not define the couple’s love. In fact, one of their earliest dates was at a McDonald’s, Dolly once revealed.
Dolly confirmed the news of her husband’s death on March 3, 2025. “Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” the “9 to 5” artist said in a statement posted to her Instagram. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy.”
Below, learn more about Carl, his own career and his life with Dolly.
How Old Was Carl Dean When He Died?
Carl was 82 years old when he died in March 2025.
What Was Carl Dean’s Net Worth?
Multiple outlets reported that Carl had a substantial net worth of around $20 million, while Dolly currently has a net worth of $650 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. Carl worked as a businessman and owned an asphalt-paving business in Nashville.
Carl Dean’s Cause of Death
No cause of death was given when Carl died. However, TMZ reported that he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2019.
Did Dolly Parton & Carl Dean Have Kids?
No, Dolly and Carl did not share kids together, but they had decades of happiness together, and Dolly made it a mission to help children around the world. She eventually created her philanthropic foundation, the Imagination Library.
“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true,” Dolly said, according to the Imagination Library’s website. “I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”
During a 2014 interview with Billboard, Dolly explained why she had no regrets for not having her own children with Carl.
“I used to think I should regret it,” Dolly admitted. “Early on, when my husband and I were dating, and then when we got married, we just assumed we would have kids. We weren’t doing anything to stop it. In fact, we thought maybe we would. We even had names if we did, but it didn’t turn out that way. Now I say, ‘God didn’t mean for me to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine.’ I’m very close to my family — five of my younger brothers and sisters lived with me and Carl for many years — and we’re very close to our nieces and nephews. Now that Carl and I are older, we often say, “Aren’t you glad we didn’t have kids? Now we don’t have kids to worry about.’”
