Dolly Parton Says She’s Doing ‘Better Than I Thought I Would’ After Death of Husband Carl Dean

After the death of Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, the country star is opening up about the mixed emotions she’s experiencing.

On Friday, March 14, Parton surprised fans at the opening celebration for Dollywood’s 40th season and sat down with Knox News afterward to discuss how she’s doing.

“I’m doing better than I thought I would,” Parton, 79, said.

She added, “I’ve been with him 60 years. So, I’m going to have to relearn some of the things that we’ve done. But I’ll keep him always close.”

The “9 to 5” singer also said that she’s “at peace that he’s at peace.” However, that doesn’t stop Parton from “missing him and loving him.”

Dean “suffered a great deal,” she said, before adding that it’s “a hole in my heart, you know, but we’ll fill that up with good stuff and he’ll still always be with me,”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Parton said that Dean — who always kept a low profile — would visit Dollywood often.

“He used to come to the park; he bought his own ticket – stood in line and got his ticket. He didn’t want somebody giving him a ticket ‘cause he was Dolly’s husband,” Parton recalled. “Everybody thinks that’s the funniest thing.”

Dean would visit without Parton and indulge in the theme park food, per the outlet, and would often offer some feedback.

“He would say, ‘You need more bathrooms,’” Parton laughed, imitating his voice. “Or he would say, ‘You need to tell them this or that. It’s crowded over in that area. You might want to tell them they ought to do this or that.’”

“He wasn’t coming to criticize, but he would notice things and he would say, you might want to bring this to their attention,” she added.

Parton concluded by saying that she now plans to “do like Carl” and “just walk around, look at everything.”

Parton’s visit to Dollywood marked her first public appearance since Dean died on Monday, March 3, at 82 years old. During her appearance, she addressed fans and thanked them for their flowers and cards while she had been mourning Dean.

“Of course I will always love him, and I’ll miss him, but I wanted you to know that I will always love you,” she told the audience, referring to her song “I Will Always Love You.”

Parton announced the death of Dean on March 3 on Instagram. “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 is survived by his siblings Sandra and Donnie,” the post began.

“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,” Parton — who recently released song “If You Hadn’t Been There” about Dean — continued.

“The family asks for privacy during this difficult time.”