Dolly Parton's husband passed away at 82; cause of death undisclosed

Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean, has passed away at the age of 82. Dean, who was married to the country music icon for nearly 60 years, died on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee. A private funeral ceremony with close family will be held to honor his memory.

The family has requested privacy during this time. The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Dolly Parton’s team wrote, "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. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy. The family has asked for privacy during this difficult time."

Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.

- Dolly Parton

Carl Dean and Dolly Parton married in a small ceremony on Memorial Day, May 30, 1966, in Ringgold, Georgia. Dean, a businessman who owned an asphalt-paving company in Nashville, was a private person who preferred to stay out of the spotlight. He was one of three children born to Virginia "Ginny" Bates Dean and Edgar "Ed" Henry Dean, whom Parton affectionately called "Mama Dean."

Dean is survived by Parton and his two siblings, Sandra and Donnie.

The couple's relationship remained largely private for many years. In a 1984 interview with The Associated Press, Parton jokingly addressed rumors about Dean's existence, saying, "A lot of people say there’s no Carl Dean, that he’s just somebody I made up to keep other people off me." She even quipped that she would love to pose with him on a magazine cover "so that people could at least know that I’m not married to a wart or something."