Final Photo of Dolly Parton’s Husband Carl Dean Taken 5 Years Before His Death

Dolly Parton’s husband Carl Dean, who died Monday, had not been seen in public in years.

In a final photo taken in December 2019, Dean was spotted in Brentwood, Tennessee, as he visited a post office with an assistant. 

Despite Dolly’s huge career, Dean chose to stay out of the spotlight. According to People magazine, the post office photo was the first time he had been publicly photographed in four decades.

Parton, who was married to Dean for 58 years, shared the news of his passing on Monday. The singer wrote on Instagram, "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. The family asks for privacy during this difficult time."

The post confirmed the 82-year-old died March 3 in Nashville, and that he would be laid to rest in a private ceremony.

The cause of his death is currently unknown, but he had been battling Alzheimer’s since 2019.

Parton had just been singing his praises on Bunnie Xo’s “Dumb Blonde” podcast in December.

She explained, “He’s quiet and I’m loud, and we’re funny,” adding, “Oh, he’s hilarious. And I think one of the things that’s made it last so long through the years is that we love each other [and] we respect each other, but we have a lot of fun.”

Dolly said they always turned to humor to lighten the mood. “Anytime [there’s] too much tension going on, either one of us can find a joke about it to really break the tension, where we don’t let it go so far,” she said.

They also avoided bickering, “We never fought back and forth. And I’m glad now that we never did, because once you start that, that becomes a lifetime thing. I’ve seen it with so many people, and I thought, ‘I ain’t ever starting that.’”

In December, she also opened up to People about a perfect day they spent together.

“I had a day off and I got to spend that whole day with my husband,” she said. “I’ve worked so much that we don’t often have all the long, full days that we used to have when life was not as complicated.”

Dolly added, “Anytime I have some time off, that’s always a good day for me and for him, for us to have time off.”

Last year, “Extra’s” Alecia Davis spoke with Dolly, who revealed her husband’s romantic gestures as they got ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

She shared, “Every spring, he’ll get a mason jar, and he’ll bring me a big bouquet of yellow flowers. Every now and then, he’ll write a poem for me, and that’s always the sweetest thing ever.”