Episodes

Dec. 21, 2023

Episode 164 - From Newsboy to Santa's Helper: The Extraordinary Life …

Embark on a heartfelt yuletide journey with Jennie and Dianne as they uncover the remarkable story of James J. Brady at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan. Despite humble beginnings, Brady's life is etched in the unadorned markers beside his …

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Dec. 14, 2023

Episode 163 - In the Face of Darkness: Hanukkah Celebrations and the …

Join Jennie and Dianne as they unravel a tale of light from darkness in Landsberg am Lech, Germany. From the city's historical significance to the Jüdischer Friedhof, a small Jewish cemetery containing about 600 victims of the Nazi terror that …

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Dec. 7, 2023

Episode 162 - Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A C…

Uncover the rich history of the second oldest rural cemetery in America on "The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery" podcast! Join Jennie and Dianne alongside Laurel Hill Cemetery's President & CEO Nancy Goldenberg, Arboretum Manager Aaron Greenberg, and Volunteer & Tour Guide …

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Nov. 30, 2023

Episode 161 - Beneath the Pines: Toledo Cemetery in Toledo, Oregon

On this episode of "The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery" join Jennie as she journeys to the picturesque Toledo Cemetery in Lincoln County, Oregon to discover the history of this charming seven-acre resting place, founded in the 1880s by the generous donation …

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Nov. 23, 2023

Episode 160 - Wit and Wings: A Thanksgiving Tribute to Will Rogers & …

Dive into a remarkable journey through time on the latest episode of "The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery" podcast with Jennie and Dianne. This Thanksgiving, we're especially thankful for the wit and humor of Will Rogers. Join us as we celebrate the …

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Nov. 16, 2023

Episode 159 - Gravestones Reclaimed: Stories of Restored Headstones

Jennie and Dianne share three captivating stories of headstones found in unusual places and how they were restored to the cemeteries where they belong. They begin with the story of a WWII veteran's headstone discovered in a backyard in St. …

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Nov. 9, 2023

Episode 158 - Unbreakable Code, Unforgettable Heroes: Navajo Code Tal…

In this episode Jennie and Dianne honor Veterans Day and celebrate National Native American Heritage Month along with guests Charlie Johnson and Connie Kellwood Pitt. Connie's father, Joe Hosteen Kellwood was one of the renowned Navajo Code Talkers of WWII. …

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Nov. 2, 2023

Episode 157 - Celebrating 3 Years of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemet…

Happy belated 3rd anniversary to the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast! In this episode Jennie and Dianne take a stroll down memory lane, celebrating three years of stories and inspiring discussions. They reminisce about how far the podcast has come, discuss …

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Oct. 26, 2023

Episode 156 - Beyond the Grave: An Evening with Bram Stoker

Join Jennie and Dianne for this very special Halloween edition of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast. Grab your favorite warm beverage, turn the lights down low, and curl up with a cozy blanket as we delve into the enigmatic world …

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Oct. 12, 2023

Episode 155 - Bram Stoker's Dracula: A Conversation with Professor St…

Just in time to help kick off the third annual Beyond the Grave: An Evening with Bram Stoker, Dianne and Jennie engage in a captivating conversation with Stanley Stepanic, an Assistant Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University …

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Oct. 5, 2023

Episode 154 - From the Grave: Omens, Taboos, and Beyond

It's officially October which means many of us are feeling a bit spookier than usual! In this episode Jennie and Dianne unravel some of the secrets of omens and taboos lurking in the shadows of our minds. They delve into …

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Sept. 28, 2023

Episode 153 - From History to Harmony Part 2: The Folk Songs of North…

"Hang down your head, Tom Dooley Hang down your head and cry Hang down your head, Tom Dooley Poor boy, you're bound to die." The murder ballad, 'Tom Dooley', made famous by the Kingston Trio in 1958, is the tale …

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Sept. 21, 2023

Episode 152 - From History to Harmony Part 1: The Folk Songs of North…

"Come all good people, I’d have you draw near, A sorrowful story you quickly shall hear; A story I’ll tell you about Omie Wise, How she was deluded by Lewis’s lies." From the ballad Omie Wise. This week Jennie and …

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Sept. 14, 2023

Episode 151 - Whispers of the Past: Tales from Galveston's Broadway D…

In this episode Jennie and Dianne are joined by the delightful Kathleen Maca who shares the stories of the Broadway District cemeteries on the island of Galveston off the gulf coast of Texas. Kathleen is a member of the Association …

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Sept. 7, 2023

Episode 150 - Providence Rhode Island's North Burial Ground's Remarka…

In this episode, Jennie and Dianne are joined by Annalisa Heppner, Cemetery Director of North Burial Ground in Providence, Rhode Island. North Burial Ground was officially recognized as a burial ground in 1700 and is the largest municipal cemetery in …

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Aug. 31, 2023

Episode 149 - Eternal Innovations: The Story of Fisk Cast Iron Coffins

Join Jennie and Dianne as they delve into the intriguing world of Fisk metallic burial cases, also known as Fisk coffins. Unearth the remarkable story of Almond Dunbar Fisk, the visionary behind the cast iron coffin, whose innovation forever changed …

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Aug. 23, 2023

Episode 148 - Beyond Ghosts: Honoring Lives at Martha's Chapel Cemete…

A Google search for Martha's Chapel Cemetery will lead you down a reportedly haunted road where any number of ghostly spirits and demons are said to roam unsettling the living who pass through this desolate corner of Eastern Texas. But …

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Aug. 17, 2023

Episode 147 - Ordinary Extraordinary Teachers of the Past

Children in many parts of the U.S. gathered their supplies and donned their backpacks, as they headed back to school. Many more will be doing so in the next coming weeks both here in the U.S. and around the world …

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Aug. 10, 2023

Episode 146 - A Gilded Age Tale: The Owl Mausoleum of James Gordon Be…

On the western side of Paris, France, not far from the Eiffel Tower, is Cimetière de Passy, a small cemetery where a simple mausoleum whose doors are topped by an owl sits among its fellow graves in a most unassuming …

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Aug. 3, 2023

Episode 145 - The Souls Close to Edgar Allan Poe: Graves of his Famil…

Jennie and Dianne are joined this week by a favorite returning guest, Dr. Sharon Pajka, to discuss her new book being released on August 21st, The Souls Close to Edgar Allan Poe: Graves of his Family, Friends and Foes. In …

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July 27, 2023

Episode 144 - Changing Perspectives in Cemetery Landscapes: Rural to …

Jennie and Dianne are joined by first time guest Dr. Joy Giguere to learn how American burial grounds changed from merely Ordinary Extraordinary places of interment, to rural landscapes meant to appear natural and ease the burden of grief, to …

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July 20, 2023

Episode 143 - Kindness in the Wild West: The Inspirational Life of Ma…

"Be kind, be kind because kindness may always help out someone who is suffering." These words of advice were written from a mother to her daughters when she feared that her time on earth was growing short, that mother was …

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July 13, 2023

Episode 142 - From Quaker Values to Railroad Empires: The Life and Le…

The New York Times called him "the foremost citizen of Colorado." William H. Spurgeon said he was "the soldier, the builder of an empire, the philanthropist, the friend of the people, whose life was a blessing." At his funeral in …

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July 6, 2023

Episode 141 - Historic St. Mary's Mission & Churchyard in Stevensvill…

This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast...Nestled in the Bitterroot Valley beneath St. Mary’s Peak, a mountain in the northern portion of the Rocky Mountain range that runs through the state of Montana, is a small, simple churchyard where …

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