John Shearer: Dolly Parton’s Husband Lived In Chattanooga In 1950s
Chattanoogan.com Breaking News • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Dolly Parton's late husband, Carl Dean, had strong ties to the Chattanooga area, particularly East Ridge and Ringgold, Georgia, where he lived during his childhood in the 1950s.
- City directories from 1952-55 list Carl Dean's parents, Edgar "Ed" Dean, a WWII veteran and Esso truck driver, and Virginia "Ginny" Dean, as residents in East Ridge and nearby Georgia homes.
- The Dean family lived at three different addresses in East Ridge, with at least one home on Poindexter Avenue still standing, while the others on Hollywood Drive may still exist but require further research due to address changes.
- Ed Dean later moved to Nashville, started a paving company, and both he and his wife are buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park alongside their son Carl and Dolly Parton, who is also being buried there.
- Carl Dean maintained a low profile throughout his life, but recent renewed interest in Dolly Parton's story has brought attention to his background and the Chattanooga-Ringgold area connections.
