Dog Tales
Alumna Shares Lifelong Relationship with Canines and Service
By Barbara Allison
For Marilyn Dargis Ambrose ’52, dogs have been constant companions throughout her long, adventurous life serving others. In December, Ambrose, age 94, added published author to her litany of accomplishments with the release of her book, Caleb, Come: Quotidian Miracles of a Therapy Dog. “In hindsight, it’s easy to see my whole life had been shaped by dogs, each one teaching me something valuable—all of them preparing me to recognize Caleb’s gift,” she said. The proceeds of her book will benefit Love on a Leash, a pet therapy training non-profit; and the Rancho Coastal Humane Society, both in San Diego County, where she currently lives.
Caleb, a Golden Doodle and her first-trained therapy dog, is the only one she ever named herself. “I had already chosen a name after years of my children doing so,” she said. At their first meeting at a breeder’s ranch north of Los Angeles, she called ‘Caleb, Come!’ and the puppy lifted his head, came running to her, and sat down beside her. “The breeder said, ‘I believe he chose you.’”
At Saint Mary’s, Ambrose earned a bachelor of science degree in dietetics in the home economics department and a minor in chemistry. Memories flowed as she recalled living at Riedinger House during her senior year, and of meals shared with Saint Mary’s third president, Sister Madeleva Wolff, CSC. “She was a saint," Ambrose said of Sister Madeleva. “She was well-educated herself. She wrote books and poetry, and she brought renowned authors to speak on campus. She made us feel welcome and relaxed, and that was a highlight of mine.”
Just a week after graduation, she married her husband Raymond Ambrose on June 7, 1952 in a wedding planned entirely by her mother. It was a decision that streamlined her life and ensured that her roommates from California, also her bridesmaids, and their families would not have to incur a second, costly trip to South Bend that summer.
"My mom was so happy because she had the time, energy, and attention to detail to plan the wedding,” Ambrose said. ”And I was happy because I didn't have to worry about finding time to study for senior comprehensives so close to graduation.”
The couple moved to Long Beach, Indiana, to raise their family, which would grow to 10 children over the ensuing years, including daughter Debra Ambrose Holsinger ’82. Raymond worked as a landscaper, and she worked as a substitute teacher in Michigan City, Indiana. It was also during that time that Ambrose began taking extension courses and met Purdue University professor Phyllis Lowe, who encouraged Ambrose to complete her teaching license. The family headed to West Lafayette, Indiana, where Ambrose embarked on a PhD program in English and Environmental Design.
She set up rigorous schedules for both herself and her children, who assumed many household tasks. “I said, when the door is closed, it means mom is busy studying for an exam,” she said. “In two years, I'll be done, and I'll be a mom again.” After graduating in 1977, her children called her “Dr. Mom,” which became her vanity license plate.
In hindsight, it’s easy to see my whole life had been shaped by dogs, each one teaching me something valuable—all of them preparing me to recognize Caleb’s gift.
- Marilyn Dargis Ambrose
Ambrose’s husband, Raymond, passed away in 1984, and through it all, she continued to teach and raise her family. She found comfort in her children, her parents, her deep Catholic faith, and her dog.
Later, she moved to California to be closer to her parents and taught at California State University in San Bernardino. Subsequently, she accepted an appointment at Cal State Chico, where she became the Dean of Environmental Design. She retired at age 60, joined the Peace Corps, and headed to her ancestral homeland, Lithuania.
Even though Lithuanian was her parents’ and grandparents’ “secret language” growing up, over time, Ambrose learned all of their secrets. She served from 1993 until 1996, teaching English as a second language to college students in Panevèžys near Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Teaching her students the proper use of American idioms was one of her favorite ways to begin the day.
Upon her return, Ambrose traveled around the Pacific Northwest, building houses with Habitat for Humanity. In 2007, she got Caleb and began training him to be a therapy dog through Love on a Leash in Oceanside, California. The training consisted of 10 on-site, supervised visits, designed to identify those who could actually do therapy work. “I think we have a natural," her instructor said of Caleb.
Throughout Caleb’s life, they visited veterans groups, nursing homes, schools, and hospitals, bringing hope and comfort to those in need. At a hospital, Caleb stayed by the bedside of a woman as she passed away. Afterwards, he approached each grieving family member and placed his head in their laps, offering his condolences. At schools, Caleb was a non-judgmental, receptive listener to students who struggled to read.
Ambrose and Caleb began volunteering with Court Dogs, a victims assistance program through the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, in which therapy dogs accompany children to court to testify, comforting them in these profoundly stressful situations. In the book, she relates a story about a child who wrapped his arms around Caleb, collapsing into his soft fur following his testimony at the trial of his mother for the alleged murder of his father.
In 2016, Caleb and Ambrose were honored as Volunteers of the Year in San Diego County for their work with Court Dogs; and in 2020, all six canines on the Court Dogs team and their handlers won the honor, a second for Caleb.
Sadly, Caleb passed away in 2021 at the age of 14, a few years after Ambrose adopted Grace, her second Golden Doodle, who learned much from Caleb. With Grace, also a trained therapy dog, she continues her work with Court Dogs and also serves as the Class of 1952 reporter. “Service isn’t just what you do, it’s who you do it with,” she said.
January 20, 2026