Dolly Parton Reveals How She's Coping With Her Husband's Death in New Interview

Dolly Parton is leaning on her faith and cherished memories as she navigates life after the loss of her husband, Carl Dean, who passed away earlier this year.

Country music icon Dolly Parton has opened up about how she's been coping since the death of her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March at the age of 82. In a new interview, Parton shared that her deep faith has been a source of strength through her grief.

"I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see him again someday," Parton said. "And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we've built together. You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans, but that's the hardest part."

The couple, who had been married for nearly six decades, maintained a famously private relationship. Dean, known for his aversion to the spotlight, supported Parton quietly but consistently throughout her illustrious career.

Their love story began outside a laundromat in Nashville when Parton had just arrived in the city at 18 years old to pursue music. Two years later, they married in a quiet ceremony on May 30, 1966, in Ringgold, Georgia.

Parton, who has released gospel albums over the years, has long been vocal about her Christian faith. Her belief in eternal life is helping her process the loss of her husband, holding on to the promise that one day they'll see each other again.