The only two things that are inevitable are death and Strange Country winning all the awards. So with that said, what are your plans? Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly discuss some of the possibilities post-life, and the horror story of the Tri-State Crematory in Noble, Ga where corpses were strewn about the property and stacked like cordwood. The ashes given to loved ones contained burned wood chips and cement dust.

Theme music: Big White Lie by A Cast of Thousands

Cite your sources:

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Arey, Norman. "CREMATORY PROBE: MARSH SISTER, PARENTS CHARGED\ DEATH CERTIFICATE SIGNINGS AN ISSUE." Atlanta Journal-Constitution [Atlanta, GA], 9 Mar. 2002, p. H1. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A83639840/STND?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=STND&xid=d005f29b. Accessed 23 May 2021.

Arey, Norman. "FATHER OF CREMATORY CASE SUSPECT DIES." Atlanta Journal-Constitution [Atlanta, GA], 21 May 2003, p. B5. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A102084453/STND?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=STND&xid=c2c96302. Accessed 23 May 2021.

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Barry, Ellen. “Georgia Crematory Operator Apologizes, Offers No Excuse.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2004, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-nov-20-na-marsh20-story.html.

Brett, ByJennifer. "BIBB COUNTY: Man in notorious crematory case free from prison: 334 decaying corpses were found at Tri-State Crematory in 2002." Atlanta Journal-Constitution [Atlanta, GA], 30 June 2016, p. B1. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A456602215/STND?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=STND&xid=a757b8b6. Accessed 23 May 2021.

Erizanu, Paula. “The Biodegradable Burial Pod That Turns Your Body into a Tree.” CNN, Cable News Network, 11 Jan. 2018, www.cnn.com/2017/05/03/world/eco-solutions-capsula-mundi/index.html.

Firestone, David. “Scores of Bodies Strewn at Site Of Crematory.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 Feb. 2002, www.nytimes.com/2002/02/17/us/scores-of-bodies-strewn-at-site-of-crematory.html?searchResultPosition=7.

Galloway, Jim. "TRI-STATE CREMATORY INVESTIGATION: PATH OF GOOD INTENTIONS TURNS ROUGH FOR LAWMAKER." Atlanta Journal-Constitution [Atlanta, GA], 6 Mar. 2002, p. B4. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A83505156/STND?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=STND&xid=db372c49. Accessed 23 May 2021.

Hendricks, Brent R. A Long Day at the End of the World: a Story of Desecration and Revelation in the Deep South. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013.

Johnson, Dirk, and Vern E. Smith. "Unearthing A Grim Tale: The woods of North Georgia hid a terrible secret: a family business devoted to cremating the dead was not doing its job. A haunted community wonders why." Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2002, p. 30. Gale OneFile: Popular Magazines, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A83283930/PPPM?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=PPPM&xid=d619cb35. Accessed 22 May 2021.

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Mikkelson, David. “Was the Weight of a Human Soul Determined to Be 21 Grams?” Snopes.com, 29 Dec. 2019, www.snopes.com/fact-check/weight-of-the-soul/.

Moskowitz, Clara. “Fact or Fiction?: Energy Can Neither Be Created Nor Destroyed.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2014, www.scientificamerican.com/article/energy-can-neither-be-created-nor-destroyed/.

Pearson, Michael. "CREMATORY INVESTIGATION: WHY DIDN'T TRI-STATE JUST CREMATE THE BODIES?" Atlanta Journal-Constitution [Atlanta, GA], 24 Feb. 2002, p. C1. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A83221950/STND?u=nysl_sc_flls&sid=STND&xid=03925209. Accessed 23 May 2021.

Rimer, Sara. “Crematory Owners Family Asks Why.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Feb. 2002, www.nytimes.com/2002/02/24/us/crematory-owners-family-asks-why.html?searchResultPosition=3.

Roach, Mary. Stiff: the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. W. W. Norton & Company, 2004.

Schwarcz, Joe. “The Real Story Behind ‘21 Grams.’” Office for Science and Society, 21 June 2019, www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/did-you-know-general-science/story-behind-21-grams.

Thomas, Ben. “The Man Who Tried to Weigh the Soul.” Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 17 Dec. 2019, www.discovermagazine.com/mind/the-man-who-tried-to-weigh-the-soul.

“UPDATE: Ray Brent Marsh Writes Public Letter of Apology.” WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports, www.wrcbtv.com/story/19611865/update-ray-brent-marsh-released-from-prison-after-crematory-conviction.