@foxnews: "He will always be the star of my life story." Dolly Parton, who died this week at age 80, shared a nearly 60-year marriage with Carl Dean that began with a chance meeting at a Nashville laundromat when she was just 18. Dean spent decades avoiding the spotlight as his wife became a global icon, but Parton repeatedly credited his quiet support with helping her chase her dreams. After Dean died in 2025, Parton said she believed he was "waiting for me on the other side." Now, her family says the two are together again.