Loretta Lynn's family is speaking out about the loss of Dolly Parton's husband, Carl Dean. In a heartfelt message shared on social media, Lynn's family expresses their condolences to Parton.
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"The entire Lynn family sends our love to Dolly and Carl Dean's family," the message reads. "Theirs is an amazing love story, and we will carry Dolly in our hearts and prayers in the days to come."
" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)">Lynn's family knows the pain of losing a loved one. Lynn passed away in 2022. Lynn was 90 years old when she died in her sleep on October 4. The following year, Parton was part of an all-star tribute honoring Lynn. At the time, Parton said Lynn was "a hero and one of the most important, but still down-to-earth singer-songwriters in history."
Dolly Parton and Carl Dean's Love Story
Parton and Dean would have celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on May 10 of this year. The two met outside of a laundromat as soon as Parton moved to Nashville, quickly falling in love.
"I'd come to Nashville with dirty clothes," Parton tells the New York Times. "I was in such a hurry to get here. And after I'd put my clothes in the machine, I started walkin' down the street, just lookin' at my new home, and this guy hollered at me, and I waved. Bein' from the country, I spoke to everybody. And he came over and, well, it was Carl, my husband."
Unfortunately, Parton's now-legendary career was just beginning, so Parton and Dean eloped in Georgia instead of having the wedding of her dreams.
"My mother-in-law had already sent out invitations," Parton recalls to Local 3. "It broke her heart because I said we had to call the wedding off."
"We went that next weekend, sneaked out because we didn't want to go anywhere close by, like in Bryson City, North Carolina," she remembers. "So we thought Ringgold because we knew that was where you could get your license and get married the same day."
When announcing Dean's passing, Parton said the family would honor him with a private funeral.
"Carl and I spent many wonderful years together," Parton says. "Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."
