Dolores Santucci, affectionately known as “The Hillsdale Hot Dog Lady,” passed away peacefully at home on Friday, November 13, following a brief illness. She was 99.

A longtime Hillsdale resident, Santucci was a familiar face in the community, having spent the past 35 years operating the hot dog cart at her son Michael’s Karl Ehmer Meat Market on Broadway.

Rain or shine, she could regularly be found selling wursts, playing Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Roselli and big band music, and sharing her famously unfiltered advice with customers.

Born in the Morrisania section of the Bronx in 1927, Santucci moved to Hillsdale in 1968 and became a fixture of the local business community.

Her personality and longtime presence at the market earned her coverage in newspapers and magazines, along with an appearance on The Rachael Ray Show while she was in her 90s.

Hillsdale also celebrated Dolores Santucci Day on October 28, 2022, recognizing her contributions to the community.

Santucci was married to Dominic “Dick the Butcher” Santucci for 67 years before his passing in 2016. She is survived by her two sons, Richard and Michael, their wives, Linda and Maria, and five grandchildren.

[photo source: Karl Ehmer]