Episodes

This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, Jennie and Dianne are joined by guest host Ryan Seidemann for a round of thought-provoking questions from his summer semester students at Arizona State University. Several of these questions are especially timely given the recent case of a cemetery being bulldozed unknowingly and heartbreakingly to descendants in Hickman County, Tennessee. Why do companies push so hard to develop over cemeteries in urban environments when the legal and ethical ramifications seem to outweigh any benefit? How do cemeteries tied to marginalized communities keep getting erased or ignored — and what would true community control actually look like? How can communities and policymakers protect historic cemeteries when there are no living descendants and no funding for preservation? And should there be more robust legal requirements for documentation and preservation before any ground is broken near a cemetery? Join Jennie, Dianne, and Ryan as they discu…

This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne cover three difficult cases of desecration and loss. In Pennsylvania, a man is facing 496 counts after allegedly stealing over 100 sets of human remains from historic Mount Moriah and at least two other cemeteries in nearby counties. In Florida, three suspects are wanted nationwide for breaking into mausoleum niches and stealing heirloom jewelry. Maybe you can help identify them and bring them to justice. And finally, Jennie and Dianne share an update on Lafayette Cemetery in Lafayette, Colorado. After the city discovered that more than 150 years of inconsistent record-keeping has left the historic city-owned cemetery much fuller than records showed, families who purchased plots are now facing heartbreaking decisions.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-grave-presents-gothic-tragedies-of-the-gilded-age-tickets-1997269261125?aff=oddtdtcreator October 2nd and 3rd at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Tours depart every 30 minutes. Follow the link above for times and full details. For generations, people have gathered after dark to tell stories of restless spirits, mysterious houses, promises that reach beyond death, and guilty hearts that refuse to remain silent. This year, we bring that tradition to the historic grounds of Evergreen Cemetery with four unforgettable tales of the strange and supernatural. Throughout the evening, guests will encounter: John Charrington’s Wedding by Edith Nesbit: A wedding day approaches, and John Charrington has made one thing very clear: nothing will keep him from meeting his bride at the altar. Nothing. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Behind the locked doors of a quiet room, a woman becomes increasingly fascinated b…

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 Ordinary Extraordinary lives from the diamond to charm school to Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery in California. These women and the nearly 600 others who played in AAGPBL between 1943 and 1954 not only made history, but have inspired generations of girls to follow their dreams!

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 photographs. As one of our state songs says, "Tis the land where the columbines grow, Overlooking the plains far below, While the cool summer breeze in the evergreen trees, Softly sings where the columbines grow."

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 and developed the iconic country girl persona we know today, inspired by her friend Mattie Burden. Her big break came in 1940 when she debuted at the Grand Ole Opry, making audiences laugh with her signature greeting and comedic style. Over her fifty-plus year career, she shared the stage with country music legends like Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, while also mentoring young artists like Elvis Presley and Garth Brooks, new to the industry. As Dolly Parton said, "Minnie Pearl became my friend…

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 special badge by one Bob Ford, an infamous outlaw during the heyday of the western frontier.

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 and Dying 101 as he answers these questions and many others!

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 plays a pivotal role in the American story, and so we revisit our conversation with Nancy Goldenberg and Sarah Hamill, Stewards of Laurel Hill Cemetery. You'll also hear some of Major Pauline Cushman's story, told by MJ Henion, as a spy for the Union during the American Civil War, and we cover the death of a Revolutionary War soldier buried at Whitehall Burial Ground in Mystic, Connecticut, whose death was brought about by the traitorous Benedict Arnold! We wish you all a very safe and hap…

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 arrived that same year. He became the territory’s first insurance agent and opened Nebraska’s first bookstore. Together, they had 10 children and by the end of their lives were fondly remembered for their pioneering spirit. Their roll-top desk monument in Wyuka is a memorial to their family legacy, honoring their dedication to family and community.

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 Key to write the poem that became our National Anthem? Jennie and Dianne weave together the myths, historical facts, and the graves that hold their stories while celebrating how these women, and so many others like them, literally stitched our country together!

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 Victorian children; so how did his story become so changed In this episode, Jennie and Dianne delve into the story of the Mieusset family, which begins with two brothers from France who brought Parisian fine dining to Boston. One became the city’s most celebrated restaurateur, the other would fade into obscurity, lost to time after the death of his young son.

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 its Contemporary Sculpture Path, established in 2001. We discuss “Resting Benches” by Danielle Krcmer & Lisa Osborne, “Neighbors” by Christopher Frost, and the intricate Victorian marble monuments of Gracie Allen and Louis Mieusset. Join Jennie and Dianne for their overview of this stunning burial ground that has never been just a place to end an Ordinary Extraordinary story, but one where stories, art and nature have continued to bring peace and fascination to the living for nearly 180 years and counting.

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 being found? Tune in for this conversation that digs deeper into the history and laws behind military burials, because remembering is only part of how we honor them.

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 crucifixion sparked a new religion and forever altered the course of humanity, death, and even burial itself. That same shadow appears in present-day New York, where three men are found murdered in a basement, with Pilate’s words scrawled in blood on the wall. Jennie and Daniel discuss themes of guilt, redemption, and the graves we inherit, both literal and spiritual, as Jude Issachar and Peter Pheiffer are forced to confront a cycle of violence and addiction that began on that sacred hill in Jerusalem more than two thous…

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." Join Jennie and Dianne on this latest episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast as they dive into her life, her funniest writings, and why so much of her humor and wisdom still apply today. ~ "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say: “I used everything you gave me."

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 marked their dead. This episode traces how that movement tried to make itself permanent, and what the grave markers left behind can still teach us today. Joy has been looking at archival records, historical newspapers, and local histories to understand how extremism became normalized, and in some cases, has been engraved in stone. This episode is heavy. It’s important. And it’s not ancient history. Content note: This episode discusses historical racism and extremism in the 1920s. It is presented for educational purposes. W…

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. From his early years before the war to his final moments leading men into that doomed charge, MJ brings Garnett’s Ordinary Extraordinary life, and death, into vivid focus.

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, conversation by conversation, they’ve rebuilt not just operations, but trust, compassion, and dignity in a final resting place rooted in community and love.

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 Italy's most famed royal families, the Medicis. The same family Bianca married into. When her husband, the Grand Duke Francesco de’ Medici died, they found arsenic in his bones. And Bianca? Her body was never found. Denied a Medici tomb, she likely vanished into an unmarked grave. Listen in for a fascinating discussion of medicine, politics, passion, and mysteries beyond some of Italy's most Ordinary Extraordinary graves.

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 save it. And finally, a story published by Smithsonian Magazine unearths a tale from the early 2000s in Chicago's historic Burr Oak Cemetery, where four men were busted for desecrating graves for profit, all thanks to a very specific type of moss!

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. Forgotten Female Felons illuminates battles that mirror many of today's issues still faced by women. This heartening and raw exploration dives into a sidelined slice of history, proving these women's tales are as legendary as any of their male counterparts and deserve to be remembered and even reimagined.

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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 filtered through other people: a marriage certificate, a few lines mentioned through her youngest son, the bare facts of a woman who was born in New York in the early 1800s, migrated to Illinois, and later crossed into Colorado Territory as a wife and mother. We don’t have her letters, her opinions, or any account of how she felt about leaving home and building a life on the frontier. This episode asks what’s lost when women’s stories are reduced to their relationships to the men in their lives, and why that loss matters. Lorenda’s m…