Dolores H. Price

April 21, 1936 – March 30, 2024

An American Story

March 30, 2024. Dolores, age 87, died. At White Horse Village the tears spread. The words spread: (quotes) "extraordinary in so many ways", "elegant," "an amazing, awe-inspiring, beautiful, soul", "she was a rare, unique, wonder-filled person who filled others with an awareness of life, joy, beauty and kindness", "a life of curiosity", "a life of service to help others," "an American story".

So, how did Dolores Ambrosini, the farm girl, become Dolores Price the woman of those words and actions?

Let us begin in April 1936, when America was mired in a Great Depression. The family farms were going bankrupt. And by the skin of their teeth, Elvezio and Celeste Ambrosini and their children managed to keep their farm afloat. At that time, the Ambrosini's had 4 children, Frank, Herman, Louie and Olga. Then on April 21st, Dolores was born.

The Ambrosini farm was multi-disciplined. They raised chickens, sheep, pigs, and a few cows. They made their own cheese, and they had very large fields of potatoes. In fact, the Lay Potato Chip Company sent a huge truck from Los Angeles because the Ambrosini potatoes were of legendary quality.

One Sunday, returning from church, Dolores was wearing her white church dress. As their family automobile turned off the main road, she saw the migrant workers. They had arrived for potato picking on the Ambrosini farm. Timing was critical, even this five-year-old farm girl realized that. The migrants had no more than a couple of days to pick, sort and bag the harvest.

Dolores hurried into the house to change into work clothes. Then, she went right to work, side-by-side next to a five-year old migrant girl. It was like ballet with no music. On the farm, at harvest time, everyone worked on the Ambrosini farm. They worked until the skies turned black. After, Dolores helped the migrants set up a clean shack, and loaned them blankets. She gave them fresh water and food. The migrants would be up early. It was like a family. And it was about Dolores Ambrosini and kindness and her values.

The Ambrosini's had a huge garden. It was an Ambrosini value to give to others. They gave vegetables, some chickens and eggs. The Ambrosinis would help anyone in need.

Celeste Ambrosini, Dolores' mom, told another tale:

In the middle of a foggy winter's night Mother Nature chose for mother sheep to deliver a baby lamb. Too often, when this happens during the winter, the mother and the lamb die. Dolores' brothers couldn't save the mother sheep, but they rescued the newborn for the moment. Then, Dolores at age five, carefully, picked up and carried the little lamb across the cold, wind-swept hills. When she reached the house, Dolores brought the newborn into the kitchen, where the lamb could feed and be given warmth and safety. No wonder Dolores raised champion sheep and Hereford cows. No wonder that the animals loved Dolores.

Mom Celeste said of Dolores, "God called and little Dolores answered".

But, on the farm, there's always more. There was the first day of school. The Ambrosinis spoke Ticinese, a dialect from the southern Cantone. They only knew a few words and phrases of English, so you can imagine the fear that came with Dolores' first bus ride. And in particular, when Dolores was confronted by school yard bullies … ten-year-old mean bullies. Fortunately, a teacher, Mrs. Grace Radamaker spotted the two bullies and saw the terror in Dolores eyes. She said "Don't fear. I will take you under my wing." "We'll have you reading a half-dozen books by the end of the year." In fact, Dolores, with the help of the teacher, read over forty books in the first year. "Amazing!" said Mrs. Radamaker. In addition, Dolores became the school champion in double-Dutch (jump-roping) and the long-jump. At home, at night, she taught her mom, Celeste, how to read and write. It was on that path that Dolores' mom and dad earned their Amecian citizenship.

And there was more. Dolores learned to operate the tractors and farm equipment. She learned the business of farming. She had no friends her age, but she was curious. At age eleven, she read an article in a magazine, "How to build an airplane." She convinced her brother Herman (12 years older) to help her build and fly a home-made airplane. They did it!

They flew it over the Pacific. What fun to spot whales in the ocean! They used the pasture as an airfield. And they flew the plane again and again. They flew it half a dozen times until an up-draft flipped the plane. Fortunately, neither one got hurt.

Dolores' curiosity led her down many paths. She went to the University of California at Berkeley, where she met her future husband, Don Price. She graduated from nursing school and later on in life achieved a doctorate in psychology at FIT. She had a passion for travel and anthropology. This passion led her and her husband Don to explore the world. They went deep into the jungles of Papua New Guinea, they traveled up the Sepic River and retraced the paths of Margaret Meade. There they also went to Mt Hagan and met the Hulu tribe. They spent time in a longhouse of the Dyaks in Sarawak, Malaysia. They attended a Tuareg wedding on the outskirts of the Sahara in Africa, and they visited the Palmyra's ruins in Syria (before the war). These are just a few of the adventures of Dolores and Don.

Dolores had numerous passions. She loved spending time with her children, and later, her four grandchildren. She loved gourmet cooking, gardening, reading, science (care to have a discussion about String Theory?), good friends, art, finance, family and conversation hour (all subjects). She helped Navajo women begin a successful fabric design business which became profitable so they could afford wells. As a psychologist, she helped teenagers navigate their teen years. She lived life to its fullest every day!

Her greatest passion, though, was her husband Don and their amazing life together. Their love was endless and unconditional.

What next? Don's answer? "We'll be together again."

In addition to her husband Don, Dolores will be deeply missed by her daughter, April Tracy, her son-in-law Dan Tracy; granddaughters Katlyn, Michelle, and Olivia Tracy; grandson, Daniel Tracy, and her relatives and many friends.

Rest in Peace Dolores. You will always be loved and never forgotten.

A Memorial service will be celebrated at the auditorium at White Horse Village on August 13th at 11 am.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St Jude Children's Research Hospital. www.stjude.org

Arrangements provided by Rigby Harting & Hagan Funeral Home 15 E. 4th Street Media, PA 19063

www.haganfuneralhome.com