The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery
The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery is a podcast for cemetery lovers, preservationists, and even those who've never walked among the graves. Join hosts Jennie and Dianne as they explore old cemeteries and learn the stories of those buried within their walls. After all, every death had a life, and every life had a story.
Episodes
271 episodes
Episode 272 - Forgotten Female Felons with Sherry Skye Stuart
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...
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Episode 272
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56:13
Episode 270 - Anonymous Was a Woman: Why Women's History Matters
"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 secti...
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Episode 270
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46:08
Episode 268 - Grave Delights & Ghostly Bites: A Cemetery Dessert Special
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 Ceme...
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Episode 268
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51:52
Episode 267 - The Brigadier, The Bluebird, and a Lifetime of Love
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 jus...
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Episode 267
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35:49
Episode 266 - Tracks of Change: The Pullman Porters' Legacy
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 the...
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Episode 266
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55:32
Episode 265 - The Price of Freedom: Exploring Bleeding Kansas
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 unc...
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Episode 265
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58:11
Episode 264 - Death and Dying 101 with Ryan Seidemann: Episode 7
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 ...
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Episode 264
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1:06:17
Episode 263 - Family Tales the Game
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 ...
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Episode 263
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52:53
Episode 262 - The Doctors' Riot of 1788: A Conversation with Writer Andy McPhee
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 wi...
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Episode 262
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1:03:33
Episode 261 - The Wondrous Mrs. Claus with Pamela McColl
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 far...
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Episode 261
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1:12:40
Episode 260 - Candlelight and Liberty
“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”...
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Episode 260
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40:16
Episode 259 - The Santa Colonel: 70 Years of Christmas Magic
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 ...
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Episode 259
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44:51
Episode 258 - Around the Table: Preserving Family Stories
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 m...
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Episode 258
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39:47
Episode 257 - Cemeteries as Catalysts for Alternate Histories
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 u...
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Episode 257
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57:00
Episode 256 - Death and Dying 101 with Ryan Seidemann: Episode 6
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 ...
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Episode 256
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1:09:42
Episode 255 - The Stories of Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio
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 histo...
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Episode 255
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1:05:14
Episode 254 - Beyond the Grave: The Phantom of the Opera
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 masterpiec...
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Episode 254
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51:09
Episode 253 - The Veiled Lady's Tale: Paranormal Perspectives with Nicole Beauchamp
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 Ordina...
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Episode 253
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44:22
Episode 252 - Cast in History: The Story of Vermont's Unique Grave Markers
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...
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Episode 252
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51:32
Episode 251 - Gaston LeRoux's Opera Phantom with Dr. Jerrold E. Hogle
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,...
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Episode 251
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1:25:41
Episode 250 - The Ordinary Extraordinary Truth About America's Deathcare
Get ready to confront the uncomfortable truths about death and dying in America, and discover how we can work towards a more equitable system for all. This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by Sta...
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Episode 250
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1:27:45
Episode 249 - Death and Dying 101 with Ryan Seidemann: Episode 5
What happens when human remains are discovered in public spaces? Can pets be buried alongside their owners? And what's the protocol for handling human remains from space? Jennie and Dianne, along with Ryan Seidemann, tackle these tough question...
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Episode 249
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46:11
Episode 248 - Death and Dying 101 with Ryan Seidemann: Episode 4
What happens when science and culture collide? Jennie and Dianne dive into the world of human remains with Ryan Seidemann in Part 1 of a new Death and Dying 101 feature. They discuss the challenges of creating inclusive public memory, the ethic...
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Episode 248
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50:22