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Carl Thomas Dean<\/strong><\/a> will always be the one love for Dolly Parton<\/strong><\/a>. The country music star<\/a>\u2018s late husband died in March 2025. Though fans didn\u2019t know much about him, Dolly occasionally spoke about her spouse in public and in various interviews. He was even part of the inspiration behind her timeless hit single \u201cJolene.\u201d Amid the news of Carl<\/a>\u2018s death, fans are mourning Dolly\u2019s loss with her and wondering about his reported Alzheimer\u2019s Disease diagnosis.<\/p>\n Below, learn more about Carl\u2019s life, death and health.<\/p>\n Carl, who was a businessman<\/a>, was 82 years old when he died in March 2025. He and Dolly<\/a> met when he was 21 and she was 18 in 1964 outside of a laundromat in Nashville. The \u201c9 to 5\u201d artist knew that Carl was a keeper from the moment they met, since Dolly noted feeling \u201csurprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me),\u201d she wrote on her website<\/a>. \u201cHe seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.\u201d<\/p>\n The cause of Carl\u2019s death remains unclear. In the statement that was posted to Dolly\u2019s Instagram<\/a>, no details surrounding Carl\u2019s passing were disclosed, and his family requested privacy from the public eye.<\/p>\n Since multiple outlets, including TMZ,<\/em><\/a> reported that Carl had been diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s Disease in 2019, fans speculated about his condition. Though neither he nor Dolly ever publicly confirmed the diagnosis, the Grammy Award winner spoke to Pollstar<\/em><\/a> in 2022 about her choice to stop touring. At the time, Dolly pointed out that she and her husband were \u201cgetting older.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do not think I will ever tour again, but I do know I\u2019ll do special shows here and there, now and then,\u201d Dolly said, before adding, Maybe do a long weekend of shows, or just a few shows at a festival. But I have no intention of going on a full-blown tour anymore. I\u2019ve done that my whole life, and it takes so much time and energy. I like to stay a little closer to home with my husband. We\u2019re getting older now, and I don\u2019t want to be gone for four or five weeks at a time. Something could happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Without noting what that \u201csomething\u201d could be, Dolly elaborated that she \u201cwould not feel right about that, if [she] were gone and somebody needed [her].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr 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,\u201d the Imagination Library founder added.<\/p>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/blockquote>\n
How Old Was Carl Dean When He Died?<\/h2>\n
Carl Dean\u2019s Cause of Death<\/h2>\n
Carl Dean\u2019s Reported Alzheimer\u2019s Diagnosis<\/h2>\n