The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery

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72 years ago, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League played its final game. Yesterday, women's professional baseball returned with the inaugural game of the Women's Pro Baseball League. On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, you'll meet Margaret "Marge" and Helen Callaghan: Vancouver sisters, Boeing war workers, and the first sisters to play in the AAGPBL. Their story inspired the 1987 documentary that inspired Penny Marshall's 1992 epic film A League of Their Own.

Jennie and Dianne trace their...

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Happy Colorado Day! On August 1, 1876, Colorado became the 38th state admitted to the Union, thereby becoming the Centennial State. On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, Dianne and Jennie celebrate Colorado's 150th birthday with some state trivia, chat about the upcoming annual Central City Cemetery Crawl, explore the story of a pioneer woman who made Colorado her home, and Dianne shares an exciting Ordinary Extraordinary historical discovery she recently unearthed while going through her own family's documents and...

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Howdy! This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by award-winning author and historian Mary Ellen Pethel, who shares the Ordinary Extraordinary story of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, or as most of the world knows her, Minnie Pearl! Born in 1912 in Centerville, Tennessee, Sarah often recalled how her upbringing in a small town shaped her outlook on life. After moving to Nashville during the Great Depression to study theater, she joined a touring company...

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On this episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast, Jennie and Dianne wander back in time to the wild west days of Old Colorado City, Colorado, to share the story of how "the dirty little coward who shot Mr. Howard" played a small part in that city's politics in 1891. Resting in a tidy grave at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs is Mr. John Henry Holt, who was once marshal of Old Colorado City and was presented with a very...

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This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, inquiring minds want to know if sea burials of the past were just as solemn and religious as those on land, why post-mortem photos taken in the past were considered more respectable than in today's modern society, could cremated ashes added to tattoo ink harm the living person, and who wins when the law and religion collide after death? Ryan Seidemann joins Jennie and Dianne for another fascinating round of Death...

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250 years ago, America was an idea. Today, it’s millions of stories! This week, we go back to a few of them we've covered on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, beginning with Kurt Deion, who spent his childhood visiting presidential graves and now cares for the stories of thousands of Americans at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC. We travel through the Wild West with "Bulldogging" Bill Pickett, one of our country's most famous black cowboys. Of course, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania pla...

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You’re walking through a 170-year-old cemetery and find a tombstone that’s… a desk? Welcome to Wyuka Cemetery in Nebraska City. The city itself was founded in 1855 after the U.S. Army abandoned Fort Kearny just eight years earlier. Thanks to its spot on the Missouri River, it became a boomtown before the turn of the 20th century, bringing in settlers, steamboats, and later the railroad.

One of those early families was the Hardings. Nehemiah and Mamie...

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Happy belated Flag Day! On this week’s Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Dianne and Jennie are honoring the women behind the American flag. You know Betsy Ross, but do you know Mary Pickersgill and Grace Wisher? Did Betsy Ross really make the first flag? And why does she have three possible burial sites in Philadelphia? And how did Mary Pickersgill, a widowed business owner, and Grace Wisher, a free young woman of color indentured to Mary, inspire Francis Scott Ke...

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In the previous episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast (#281), Dianne and Jennie explored Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston, Massachusetts and some of its most visited monuments including one often called, "The Boy in the Boat" which marks the grave of little Louis Mieusset. We shared the common story that Louis died as a result of being drowned, but while that story continues to be perpetuated, his death was the result of disease, a common occurrence for thousands of...

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Looking for things to do in Boston in addition to walking the Freedom Trail? Might we suggest visiting Forest Hills Cemetery in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood? This 275-acre historic cemetery, founded in 1848 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, is the final resting place of poets e.e. cummings (all lower case on purpose) and Anne Sexton, composer Amy Beach, victims of the Great Molasses Flood, and so many more. Forest Hills is also known for...

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This past Monday, men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice were remembered in Memorial Day tributes across the United States, and on this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast Dianne and Jennie chat with Ryan Seidemann who returns for the latest "Death and Dying 101" segment with questions his college classes have asked: If we can’t bring soldiers home, who’s responsible for their graves? Why did military headstones get simpler? Are remains from past wars still bein...

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This week, Jennie sits down with author Daniel Grace to discuss his new novel In the Wake of Golgotha. The conversation weaves together ancient betrayal and modern violence through the intertwined lives of Judas and Pontius Pilate, reborn across two thousand years.

Daniel explores how the weight of history follows us. The book opens with a chilling echo of Golgotha, also known as Calvary Hill, the site of history’s most well-known execution and death, where one cr...

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Thirty years after her death, Erma Bombeck is still the patron saint of moms everywhere so it felt only fitting to celebrate her life and legacy with Mother's Day just around the corner. She wrote the messy, hilarious, heartwarming truth about marriage and motherhood before it was a hashtag. "I brought children into this lousy, mixed-up world because when you love someone and they love you back, the world doesn’t look that lousy or seem that mixed up." Jo...

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Sometimes a chat with your local butcher can lead you down a very curious rabbit hole and that is exactly what happened to this week's returning guest, historian Joy Giguere, on this latest episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast. Some history is easy to miss until you know what you’re looking for. In the 1920s, a surge of organized intolerance swept through American towns. It showed up in parades, in politics, and in the way some communities ma...

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This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, Jennie and Dianne are joined by one of their favorite living historians MJ Henion, to unravel a Civil War mystery that still haunts historians today.
Meet Brigadier General Richard B. Garnett, a Confederate officer whose story ends at Pickett’s Charge… or does it? Though he has a memorial marker in Virginia’s historic Hollywood Cemetery, no one knows for certain if his remains ever left the battlefield at Gettysburg.

Fr...

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When the 2008 recession upended Eric Anderson’s career, he never imagined the detour would lead to cemetery service. But that’s where he found work that truly mattered. After walking through personal loss herself, his wife Megan joined him, bringing a heart for steady, compassionate guidance in life’s hardest moments.

Through prayer and perseverance, the Andersons were led to Thomasville, North Carolina, where they took on a big challenge: restoring Holly Hill Memorial Park. Brick by brick...

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On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by author Gigi Berardi to talk about "Bianca’s Cure", her fact-driven historical novel about Bianca Capello, who in real life was famed for her beauty, but Gigi’s Bianca is a scientist centuries ahead of her time,  hunting a malaria cure with the herb artemisia. 

Malaria, took the lives of many in Italy in the 14th century, including several members of one of Ita...

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This week, Jennie and Dianne are "digging" into some truly Ordinary Extraordinary recent news stories from cemeteries across the US. First up, Lafayette, Colorado, where a local cemetery has run out of burial space, leaving families in a lurch despite owning plots. Then, on to the stunning shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota, where a historic pioneer cemetery is literally losing its graves to erosion, bringing skeletal remains to the surface and sparking a fight for state funding to...

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Just as Women's History Month wraps up, Jennie and Dianne chat with author Sherry Sky Stuart about her fascinating new book, Forgotten Female Felons. Skye resurrects the stories of women locked up in the Colorado Territorial Prison, kicking off with the first female felon from 1872. With help from original prison records and other resources, she crafts the vivid lives of women like Catherine, a midwife jailed for abortion, or women who faced abuse, addiction, and the privations of poverty.<...

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"For most of history, Anonymous was a woman." — Virginia Woolf    

In this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, Dianne and Jennie follow a single name etched on a simple marble stone in the Pioneer section of Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs - Lorenda Judd. She rests there alone. No husband, no children beside her. After Lorenda’s death, her family moved on, and the record of her life thinned to almost nothing. What we do know comes filtere...

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What dessert would you eat in a cemetery? This week, we're sharing some of your wild and wonderful social media responses to that very question, inspired by the authors of "To Die For A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes" and "Haunted Virginia Cemeteries"! We're unwrapping a brand new episode that also features classic clips from our chats with Rosie Grant and Sharon Pajka about their fascinating journeys to writing these books. And as if that's not sweet enough, we're giving...

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In this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, we're diving into a tale of wartime romance, enduring love, and a connection forged across continents. Dalhousie University, 1914. She was a music student, he was an athlete. They were just friends... until the Great War changed everything. Discover the captivating journey of Reg Roome and Helen Jones – a Canadian soldier fighting on the front lines and a brave 'bluebird' nurse – whose wartime letters unexpectedly blossomed into a passionate romance and a secr...

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All aboard! Join Jennie and Dianne this week as they "ride the rails" with the Pullman Porters, unsung heroes of American history! These men overcame unimaginable prejudice and racism; from being called "George" by passengers, regardless of their name, to working 400+ hours a month with little time off, their struggles were real. Yet, they persevered, forming the first all-Black labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and paving the way for the Civil Rights Movement. Their legacy extends...

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Tune in this week to The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast as Jennie and Dianne dive into the turbulent history of Kansas from 1854-1856, sparked by the New England Emigrant Aid Company's efforts to make Kansas a free state. What they uncover are eerie echoes of today's headlines. Don't miss this timely exploration of history's parallels to modern America. Join them to unearth the beginning of "Bleeding Kansas's" legacy, and why more than ever, it's important not to forget the...

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This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast Dianne and Jennie sit down with Ryan Seidemann for our first Death and Dying 101 episode of 2026. We discuss the Victorian morals of using ground up mummies for miracle cures, the burial practices of Neanderthals, the law regarding modern-day the grave robbing (specifically two very recent cases in the state of Pennsylvania), odor control in mausoleums and more. This is a conversation you don't want to miss!

Need an Ordinary...

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New year, new memories! Tune in to this week's Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast as Jennie and Dianne share heartwarming family stories from listeners who played our game "Family Tales" with us online as we closed out 2025 and ushered in 2026. It's not too late to play for yourself. Grab the free game on our website and start collecting your own family's stories!

Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here...

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What happens when medical progress clashes with public outrage? Body snatching, bloodletting, and a riot that shook America's founding fathers: join Jennie and Dianne on this latest episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery as they chat with writer Andy McPhee about his latest book "The Doctors' Riot of 1788". But the story starts earlier - at The African Burial Ground, where New York City's Black community had long been fighting against desecration. We'll explore the complex history of anatomy, ethics...

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Kick off the new year with The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery podcast! Join Jennie and Dianne for a delightful chat with Pamela McColl, author of "Wondrous Mrs. Claus: a Literary and Pictorial Review of the Christmas Character". As we bid farewell to 2025, let's take a moment to appreciate a true unsung hero of the holiday season, Mrs. Claus! Join us as we celebrate the woman behind the man in red and appreciate all the love and care she brings to...

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“Hanukkah is about the freedom to be true to what we believe without denying the freedom of those who believe otherwise. It’s about lighting our candle, while not being threatened by or threatening anyone else’s candle.” Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l -- This week Jennie and Dianne invite everyone to cozy up with a cup of latke-friendly brew and join them as they revisit their first ever Hanukkah episode (#10!), exploring the connections between Hanukkah and the American Revolution...

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This week Dianne and Jennie are getting into the holiday spirit with the heartwarming story of Colonel Harry Shoup, the Air Force officer who answered a mistaken phone call from a little girl looking for Santa. His kindness sparked a tradition that's tracked Santa for 70 years! Ever wondered how NORAD got involved? Tune in to hear the Ordinary Extraordinary, magical Christmas tale!

Episode available on YouTube:   https://youtu.be/7014a4Stt_0?si=RS2OobqhaCPFBxvC

It ma...

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This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, Jennie and Dianne remind listeners the holidays are the perfect time to gather 'round the dinner table and record the tales of grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other family members. Whether you're a seasoned genealogist or just starting to explore your family's history, this episode includes tips and tricks for getting started with family history research and how to preserve those precious stories for generations to come. 

Episode available on Y...

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Get ready to dig into the fascinating world of alternate histories! On this week's Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast, Jennie and Dianne welcome back Research Historian Lynette Webber to explore how cemeteries can inspire and provoke our understanding of time and mortality. Just like George Bailey's poignant "what ifs" in It's a Wonderful Life or Marty McFly's wild rides through the Back to the Future timeline, cemeteries hold the whispers of real life what ifs, where families have stood before...

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It's time for a new addition of Death and Dying 101. Join Jennie and Dianne, along with regular contributor Ryan Seidemann, as they dig into the dirt on some heavy hitters: the environmental impact of cremation vs. full body burial, the tricky business of handling cemeteries discovered during construction projects, Civil War burials, and the fascinating world of bone identification. Grab your shovels and join their grave talk!

Episode available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZrpRVTL2Pl4?si...

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Jennie and Dianne are thrilled to welcome Diana Kresnye, a passionate tour guide and historical interpreter at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio to the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast. Lake View Cemetery is a treasure trove of history, art, and nature, featuring a Level 2 Arboretum with thousands of trees, the final resting place of James A. Garfield (the 20th president of the United States), and the Wade Memorial Chapel, one of the few remaining interiors totally designed by Louis...

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Join Jennie and Dianne for the 2025 "Beyond the Grave" episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, just in time to put you in a spooky mood for Halloween! Dim the lights, get cozy, and immerse yourself in Gaston Leroux's timeless masterpiece. With a special introduction by legendary silent film actor Lon Chaney, you'll be transported to 1880s Paris and the majestic Palais Garnier. Settle in and let the Ordinary Extraordinary tale of the Phantom of the Opera bewitch you. As...

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Get ready for a ghostly good time on this week's Ordinary Extraordinary podcast! Jennie and Dianne are joined by Nicole Beauchamp, author and paranormal researcher, to discuss the power of remembrance and the importance of preserving the Ordinary Extraordinary stories of the past. From the 'Veiled Woman' of Elmwood Cemetery to the value of visiting historic sites, Nicole shares her expertise on how the past can shape our understanding of the world.

Connect with Nicole on Facebook...

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On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by Miles McCallum and Nick Brown, researchers and enthusiasts passionate about uncovering the stories behind Vermont's historic cast-iron grave markers.

Miles, an M.A. in history student at the University of Vermont, and his colleague Nick, share their fascinating findings on two models of cast-iron grave markers that swept through Vermont (and beyond) in the 1840s and 1850s. From the manufacturers to the...

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Get ready for a haunting tale of love, obsession, and music that echoes beyond the grave! Join Jennie and Dianne on this week's episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast as they dive into the world of Gaston LeRoux's classic novel, The Phantom of the Opera, with special guest Professor Jerrold E. Hogle. This week’s episode is particularly special as it coincides with the sold-out fundraiser, Beyond the Grave: The Phantom of the Opera, happening at historic Evergreen Ce...