Dottie Vinson Benedetto

Dottie was a feisty, independent soul, emblematic of her Scotch-Irish roots in eastern North Carolina, tempered by a deep and intense love for her family, her husband Lucio, and her son, Lucio, Jr. She always wanted the best for all of us and all those she knew. Her generosity in spirit and in wealth was driven by a sincere regard for the flourishing of anyone that entered her orbit, from her immediate family to her beloved and longtime housekeeper, Berta, or her favorite salesladies at Niemans with whom she enjoyed many a luncheon. Steered by a steady moral compass and, some would say, honest to a fault, Dottie guided her son and grandson, Dylan, towards the enduring traditions of decency and propriety. “Be guided by the truth and let no one lead you astray from your principles” – her legacy to me distilled into its essence.

But she was also so much fun. Dottie loved to dance. She was a star cheerleader in high school and later lit up the dancefloor in the disco seventies at Da Vinci. But she was truly a rocker, from Elvis and Little Richard in her teens to Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and Rod Stewart in later years. I still remember those albums playing on the stereo when I came home from school, much to the surprise of my friends. And in softer moods, it was Neil Diamond or Andrea Bocelli.

And she loved the beach, Carolina Beach, where she, my father, and I would go crabbing in the tidal pools and enjoy an evening of steaming and hammering and picking those seasoned delicacies on the porch overlooking the beach with Carolina sweet corn-on-the-cob. And that was a wonder about her. She could enjoy such a such a rough and simple pleasure as crabbing one day, cruising in her yellow Alfa Romeo Spider convertible the next, and in the evening be dressed to the nines for a five-star dinner here in Dallas at The Old Warsaw or The French Room or at the finest that Paris or London had to offer.

To be sure, she was always dressed to the nines. Dottie loved fashion and whatever we were doing, wherever we were, from beach casual to ballroom formal, she looked like she had stepped from the pages of Vogue. She had marvelous taste and an innate sense of style - never trendy, but the kind of style that never goes out of style.

Dottie was truly a North Star in so many ways. And even in her passing, she will continue to shine for me and my father.