Keeping the tradition alive. Dolly Parton and Carl Dean celebrated their first anniversary apart this year, marking the first heavenly wedding annivsary of the “I Will Always Love You’ singer’s husband. Earlier this year, Dolly Parton lost her husband of nearly 59 years, Carl Deal, who passed at the age of 82. The passing of her first and only love has taken its toll on Parton as she’s opened up that it’s hard to move on, given that she loved him from the age of 18. “Oh, you know what, I get very emotional when people bring it up. But we were together 60 years. I’ve loved him since I was 18 years old. It’s a big adjustment just trying to change patterns and habits. I’ll do fine, and I’m very involved in my work, and that’s been the best thing that could happen to me. But I’ll always miss him, of course, and always love him. He was a great partner to me.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by TODAY (@todayshow) Since Carl Dean’s passing, Parton has taken some time for herself, but given her busy schedule, she soon had to return to work. She noted that she knew Dean would want her to continue with business as usual. “He would expect me to be workin’ today, so I expect to be workin’… Of course, I will always love him, and I’ll miss him.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Parton News ☆ (@partonnews) But even with her staying busy, that does not mean that she’s not still mourning the death of her beloved husband. Parton opened up while speaking with co-anchors John Roberts and Sandra Smith on FOX News Channel’s America Reports that despite staying busy, she’s also taking the time to honor the traditions she and Dean established in their marriage, including their wedding anniversary tradition. “You know, my faith has helped me through it all, because — because I am a person of faith, even though I lost him on this earthly plane, and I will miss him every day, having to learn new patterns, new habits, but knowing that I will see him again and knowing that he’s in God’s arms now and not mine. But he’s still in my heart and in my memories. And I treasure all that. And that’s how I get through my work and my faith that’s carried me on through. But I do miss him, yes. We had — our anniversary was the 30th, just two days ago, and we got married down in Ringgold, Georgia.” Speaking of Dolly Parton, she married Carl Dean on this date in 1966. Today is her first anniversary without him. Would’ve been their 59th. pic.twitter.com/h5gUx1uGpy — VintageCountryMusic (@realcountry1953) May 30, 2025 “And we would always go down to Ringgold so — in and around our anniversary every year since we were married. And so I went down there the other day on our anniversary. And they put a big plaque up in the yard of that church where we got married. It talks about us getting married there. And we would always go and have a picnic. So, anyway, that’s where I spent my anniversary, our first — my first — our anniversary without him, the first one. So I thought, well, I have got to go back and just take a picture on that — on the same steps at that same church. And then I felt like that he — he was there with me. And I put his wedding ring around my little gold chain and wore it. And I wore my little original wedding rings and just stood there. And it was just so — it was just so sweet, and it made me. It was good for me.” After hearing her talk about this, I need a tissue. It’s so heartbreakingly sweet that she’s still honoring the traditions established while they were together. Still, I can’t imagine visiting a place with such significant meaning without your partner by your side. However, as Parton said, it appears that his spirit was strongly with her as she continued to honor the vows they made to each other. Rest in peace, Carl Dean. If you want to watch the whole interview from FOX News Channel’s America Reports, click HERE. Before you go, play the song that Parton wrote in honor of her husband after his passing. The post Dolly Parton Visited The Church She & Carl Dean Got Married At For What Would’ve Been Their 59th Wedding Anniversary: “I Felt Like He Was There With Me” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.