He was last seen in public in 2019, but before that he hadn’t ever been photographed in public in 40 years
CARL Dean was married to country music icon Dolly Parton for 60 years before his sad passing.
And during the couple’s lengthy union, Carl was never really seen in public, with him even described as “reclusive” and “a loner” by his wife.
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Carl Thomas Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband, at a post office in 2019Credit: TheImageDirect.com
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Carl and Dolly were married for 60 years
The country singer, 79, confirmed on Monday that her husband Carl Dean had sadly died at the age of 82.
Dolly shared a heartbreaking tribute following his passing.
She penned: “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.”
Dolly did not reveal her husband’s cause of death but had previously been diagnosed with alzheimer’s disease in 2019.
And now, amid the news of Carl’s death, his final ever public photo has been uncovered.
Back in 2019, Carl was snapped stepping out near the family’s estate on Brentwood, Tennessee.
FINAL PUBLIC SNAP OF CARL
Carl, who was 77 at the time, was seen visiting the post office with an assistant.
Wearing a checkered shirt, some blue jeans, a beige coat and some beige-colored shoes, Carl looked put-together yet casual for his low-key outing.
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The snap marked the first time that he he had been photographed in public in more than four decades.
CARL’S SOCIAL MEDIA CAMEO
In 2021 for her husband’s birthday, Dolly recreated her 1978 Playboy cover look in a social media post.
For the video of her surprising her husband, Dolly slipped into a black bodysuit with bunny ears and a bedazzled bow tie.
Taking to social media to document the moment at the time, Dolly said: “Today is July 20, it’s my husband Carl’s birthday,” meanwhile, Carl could be seen as Dolly surprised him.
“My husband always loved the original cover, so I was trying to think of something to do to make him happy.
“He still thinks I’m a hot chick, after 57 years, and I’m not gonna try to talk him out of that. And I hope he agrees.”
Carl was seen in the video as he sat on the sofa while his wife thrilled him with her racy recreation of her Playboy cover look.
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Dolly Parton’s husband Carl made a rare social media appearance in 2021Credit: Instagram/dollyparton
CARL WAS A ‘LONER’
Dolly previously spoke about how Carl was “a loner”.
Speaking to People around the time of their 50th anniversary, Dolly explained how he “doesn’t particularly care about being around anybody but me”.
She said: “He’s just always asked me to leave him out of all this. He does not like all the hullabaloo.”
The hitmaker also shared with Parade that her man was “very secure within himself”.
She told the outlet: “This is his statement: ‘Well, hell, I know it’s not easy out there. I’d feel less about any man that didn’t fall in love with you’.”
And in 2020 she revealed how he didn’t want to be in the spotlight “at all”.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, she said: “It’s just not who he is.
“He’s like a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, he’d never get a minute’s peace and he’s right about that.
“I’ve always respected and appreciated that in him, and I’ve always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can.
“He [Carl] said, ‘I didn’t choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world.
“But we can keep our lives separate and together.’ And we do and we have.”
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Carl Dean and Dolly Parton were seemingly smitten throughout their union
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The couple wed in 1966
