Episodes

  • Episode 272 - Forgotten Female Felons with Sherry Skye Stuart
    Mar 26 2026

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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.

    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.

    You can order your copy of Forgotten Female Felons here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0F913G91F/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

    Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com

    Family Tales: A free printable, is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing


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    56 mins
  • Episode 271 - 101 with Ryan Seidemann: Episode 8
    Mar 19 2026

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    55 mins
  • Episode 270
    Mar 12 2026

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    46 mins
  • Episode 269
    Mar 4 2026

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    38 mins
  • Episode 268 - Grave Delights & Ghostly Bites: A Cemetery Dessert Special
    Feb 19 2026

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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 away copies of both books! Be sure to tune in for all the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery fun!

    To listen to the full episodes with Rosie and Sharon, follow these links: https://www.theordinaryextraordinarycemetery.com/episode-233-dishes-from-the-dearly-departed-with-rosie-grant/

    https://www.theordinaryextraordinarycemetery.com/episode-243-haunted-history-exploring-virginias-cemeteries-with-sharon-pajka/

    Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com

    Family Tales: A free printable, is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing


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    52 mins
  • Episode 267 - The Brigadier, The Bluebird, and a Lifetime of Love
    Feb 12 2026

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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 secret proposal. Tune in for this beautiful Ordinary Extraordinary true love story that defied the trenches and atrocities of the First World War.

    To read not only Reg and Helen's love story, but also those of others who experienced the Great War, check out "True Love Stories from World War One" by Amelia Kenton. https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/true-love-stories-from-world-war-one-wwi-inspiring-couples-from-back-in-time_amelia-kenton/39802706/?srsltid=AfmBOopf27MIIxxyJ069HImP1S_M6EOGXNPUzk1vO2h-RfA7y_WiCeQ9#edition=68156381&idiq=59204071

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    36 mins
  • Episode 266 - Tracks of Change: The Pullman Porters' Legacy
    Feb 5 2026

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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 far beyond the railroad, influencing leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and shaping the course of American history.

    Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com

    Family Tales: A free printable, is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing

    *Images: Sleeping car, Pullman Porter portrait & Pullman Porter making the bed are in the public domain • Gates to The Haven of Rest Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas by Richard Theilig 3/2/2018 posted to findagrave.com • James William Warren Jr.grave by Mizzizzippy 10/24/2018 posted to findagrave.com • grave of Prince Albert Smith by Richard Theilig 4/23/2019 posted to findagrave.com

    Resources used to research this episode include:

    Dorsey-Burke, Ethelda. "Ordinary Men—Extraordinary History: A Proud Pullman Porter ." https://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/. 22 Dec. 2021. www.tacomaartmuseum.org/tamblog-proud-pullman-porter/ . Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

    Hutchinson , Brittany. "The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters ." https://www.chicagohistory.org/. 4 Sep. 2020. www.chicagohistory.org/brotherhood-sleeping-car-porters/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

    Harris, Kathy Lynn. "Haven of Rest Cemetery ." https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/. 22 Oct. 2025. encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/haven-of-rest-cemetery-14603/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

    "Cemetery Map." https://friendsofhavenofrestcemetery.com/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

    Dover, Elicia. "Community Connections: Friends of Haven of Rest." https://katv.com/. 24 Feb. 2022. katv.com/community/community-connections/community-connections-friends-of-haven-of-rest. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

    , Museum Of The American Railroad . "The Pullman Porter ." https://www.historictrains.org/. 24 Apr. 2025. www.historictrains.org/collection/philippe-9z32w. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

    Demirel, Evin. "Cemetery holds 27 Pullman porter graves ." Editorial. Arkansas Democrat Gazette [Little Rock], 16 Aug. 2009, p. 17,22.


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    56 mins
  • Episode 265 - The Price of Freedom: Exploring Bleeding Kansas
    Jan 29 2026

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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 stories of the past!

    Learn more about Bleeding Kansas with this video: https://youtu.be/ASM1sel--d4?si=VLibuqP_q94ojesl

    Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com

    Family Tales: A free printable, is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing


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    58 mins