The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery

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Jennie and Dianne are joined by Martin Begnal, president of the Friends of Riverside Cemetery in Waterbury, Connecticut. Martin shares the stories of several Riverside residents as well as his own very special familial connection that dates back almost to the beginning of the cemetery. Join us for the Ordinary Extraordinary stories of Carrie Welton, a pioneer woman who lived and died by her own rules, an enslaved man named Fortune whose life after death took many extraordinary turns, and many other stories on this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary  Cemetery podcast.

To learn more about Riverside Cemetery in Waterbury, Connecticut, please visit their website or social media pages through the links below:

Website: https://riversidecemeteryct.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riversidecemeteryct496/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/riverside_cemetery_ct?utm_medium=copy_link

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RiversideWtbyCT?t=UjFOOWqaUzY1-klsD5mIcQ&s=09

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Jennie and Dianne are joined by special guest Casper Johnson as they revisit one of Diane's favorite cemeteries, Greenwood Cemetery in Cañon City, Colorado. They will begin with a brief history of the cemetery and then continue with the tragic story of Joe Arridy, a gentle man with an intellectual disability who was wrongly convicted and executed for a crime he never could have even begun to commit. Join us for Joe's Ordinary, Extraordinary story and how it has helped to reshape the justice system.
(Warning: this episode does contain conversation regarding rape, sodomy, and murder. While we do not give explicit details of the events, they are important to this story and may make some listeners uncomfortable.)

Resources used to research this episode include:

Colorado Prisons, Museum Of. "HISTORY OF THE COLORADO PRISON MUSEUM ." https://prisonmuseum.org/. 26 Jan. 2016. prisonmuseum.org/history/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2022.

News Staff, WSBTV.com. "Local Girl Scout spearheads effort to clean up Forsyth County cemetery ." https://www.wsbtv.com/. 23 Jan. 2022. www.wsbtv.com/news/local/forsyth-county/local-girl-scout-spearheads-effort-clean-up-forsyth-county-cemetery/U564NRUJR5BCRBIUXOUTBW23QY/. Accessed 24 Jan. 2022.

Newman, Victoria. Woodpecker Hill Tales of Cañon City's Infamous Inmates. 3rd ed., 2007. Cañon City, Museum of Colorado Prisons, 2015.

Fremont County Historical Society. Cemeteries of Fremont County, edited by Margaret Stiles. Fremont County Tourism Council, 2016.

Friends of Joe Arridy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2022, from http://friendsofjoearridy.com/

Harmon, T. (2014, February 27). 75-year-old case still compelling today. Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.chieftain.com/story/news/2014/02/27/75-year-old-case-still/985033007/

Mitchell, K. (2016, May 4). Inmates' thorny histories call out from their graves in Cañon City. The Denver Post. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.denverpost.com/2011/04/06/inmates-thorny-histories-call-out-from-their-graves-in-caon-city/

Owens, D. (2016, August 17). Arc and Robert Perske has passed. The Arc of Illinois. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.thearcofil.org/arc-and-robert-perske-has-passed/

Perske, R. (1995). Deadly innocence? Abingdon Press.

Perske, R. (2009). Joe Arridy, “the happiest man who ever lived on death row.” Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 47(5), 390–394. https://doi.org/10.1352/1934-9556-47.5.390

Perske, R. (2011). Colorado Governor pardons Joe Arridy. Meridian. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://meridian-allenpress-com.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/idd/article/49/3/192/1529/Colorado-Governor-Pardons-Joe-Arridy

Prendergast, A. (2011). Joe Arridy was the happiest man on Death row. Westword. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.westword.com/news/joe-arridy-was-the-happiest-man-on-death-row-5118031

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Alvin “Creepy” Karpis once said, “Of all the midwest cities the one I knew best was St. Paul and it was a crook’s haven." In this episode Jennie and Dianne visit the mausoleum of Police Chief John J. O'Connor in Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul, Minnesota. They delve into O'Connor's plan to fight "organized crime with organized intelligence", and how this led to creating a sort of gangsters' paradise during the age of prohibition through the mid-1930s. Join us for this ordinary, extraordinary story of power, lawlessness, glamour and downfall with a visit to one of St Paul's oldest cemeteries.

Resources used to research this episode include:

"Calvary Cemetery." https://catholic-cemeteries.org/. catholic-cemeteries.org/calvary/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.

"An Early History of Saint Paul ." https://www.visitsaintpaul.com/. www.visitsaintpaul.com/blog/an-early-history-of-saint-paul/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.

Ratsabout, Saengmany. https://www.mnopedia.org/. 18 Dec. 2018. www.mnopedia.org/immigrants-and-refugees-minnesota-connecting-past-and-present. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.

"John J. O’Connor St. Paul’s Chief of Police ." http://www.spphs.com/. 1 Jan. 1919. www.spphs.com/history/1919/oconnor.php. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.

Steenberg, Edward J. "John Joseph O'Connor and the "Layover Agreement" (One Person's Observations) ." http://www.spphs.com/. www.spphs.com/history/oconnor/index.php. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.

Reicher, Matt. "When St. Paul — officially — served as a safe haven for criminals ." https://www.minnpost.com/. 29 July 2014. www.minnpost.com/mnopedia/2014/07/when-st-paul-officially-served-safe-haven-criminals/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.

Society, Minnesota Historical. "St. Paul: Gangster Haven." https://youtu.be/, 6 Dec. 2010, youtu.be/oVgrhFOiVS4.

Underworld Compilation, The Criminal . "Gangster History of St. Paul, Minnesota." https://youtu.be/, 30 Mar. 2020, youtu.be/MGjwIyzlG5U.

History, Travel Thru. "Wabasha Street Caves - St. Paul, Minnesota - Travel Thru History." https://youtu.be/, 24 June 2014, youtu.be/SM0bbzo_zxM.

, C-SPAN. "C-SPAN Cities Tour - St. Paul: Gangster Era in St. Paul." https://youtu.be/, 19 Sep. 2014, youtu.be/v3WrckIXpY4.

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Jennie and Dianne interview their first guest of the new year! Dr. Thomas Edge is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies at Bowling Green State University. Tom recently took a sabbatical to research looking at the history of lynching in a different way: specifically the care given to the deceased and the efforts to remember them. His studies took him to 11 different US states and the sites and cemeteries connected to African American, German American, Italian immigrants, indigenous, and other lynching victims. Join us for a discussion that brings humanity back to these victims, their families and their communities on this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery.

To see more photos and descriptions of the sites Dr. Edge has visited, follow him on Instagram @https://instagram.com/tedge20?utm_medium=copy_link

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Jennie and Dianne delve into the beauty and stories of Lincoln, Nebraska's Wyuka Cemetery; a cemetery with the distinction of being the only state appointed cemetery in the United States. Follow along with them as they explore the flora and fauna, the statuary, and the many unique monuments of this 140 acre park cemetery. They also share the ordinary extraordinary stories of a tragic train accident, a beloved singer, a freed slave who fought in the civil war and others.

Resources used to research this episode include:
Zimmer, Ed. Wyuka Cemetery: A Driving & Walking Tour. Lincoln, Nebraska Humanities Council, 2009, pp. 1-88.

Cemetery, Wyuka. Wyuka Funeral Home, Cemetery & Park Fact Sheet. Lincoln.

Cemetery, Wyuka. Interesting Facts About Wyuka. Lincoln.

Chatfield, Penelope. "Wyuka: A "Rural" Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska." Editorial. Nebraska History, 23 Apr. 2014, pp. 183-192.

Fullerton, Patrick. "Gordon MacRae Biography." https://m.imdb.com/. m.imdb.com/name/nm0534286/. Accessed 3 Jan. 2022.

"Burlington Wreck." https://www.newspapers.com/. 1 June 1911. www.newspapers.com/search/#query=Burlington+Wreck&s_place=Indianola%2C+NE&dr_year=1911-1911. Accessed 3 Jan. 2022.

McCuin, LaShanda. "Richwood Memorial Garden Manager removes headstones, local families grieve ." https://www.knoe.com/. 2 Jan. 2022. www.knoe.com/2022/01/03/richwood-memorial-garden-manager-removes-headstones-local-families-grieve/. Accessed 3 Jan. 2022.

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Drifter and Gypsie of the Rebel at Large Adventure podcast join Jennie and her son Charlie and husband Dave in an abridged retelling of Charles Dickens's beloved short story A Christmas Carol. What does this have to do with cemeteries? There is an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery at the end of the story that truly does help Ebenezer Scrooge to learn the true meaning of Christmas. From our families to yours, Merry Christmas! 
(Artwork for this episode provided by: Casper Suvroc @corvyrn)

To hear all about Drifter and Gypsie's travel adventures, please follow this link to The Rebel at Large Adventure podcast: 
https://rebelatlarge.com/

To read a Christmas Carol for yourself, please follow this project Gutenberg link:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm

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Jennie and Dianne visit the Land of Enchantment, specifically Mount Calvary Cemetery in Albuquerque, New Mexico where every Christmas Eve the cemetery is full of of candlelit luminarias. What are luminarias and how did this tradition start? Find out in this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery. We also give a quick news update on the Wreaths across America events around the United States happening on Saturday December 18th.

Resources used to research this episode include:
"Wreaths Across America Announces the Annual Wreaths Escort to Arlington for 2021 ." https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/. 16 Nov. 2021. wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/19520/News/686/?relatedId=0. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.

Barnitz, Katy. "Mount Calvary Cemetery ." https://www.abqjournal.com/. 24 Dec. 2017. www.abqjournal.com/1110878/luminarias-pay-homage-to-loved-ones-remembered-in-christmas-eve-tradition.html. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.

Harris, Cheryl. "Mount Calvary Cemetery Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico ." http://www.interment.net/. 5 Sep. 2012. www.interment.net/data/us/nm/bernalillo/mtcalvary/index.htm. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.

"LUMINARIAS ." https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/. www.visitalbuquerque.org/about-abq/culture-heritage/holiday-traditions/luminarias/. Accessed 12 Dec. 2021.

Raub, Cheril, and Nancy Rogers. Santa Barbara Cemetery: Albuquerque, New Mexico, Burials 1869-1924, Transcriptions 1877-2013 . Albuquerque, ‎New Mexico Genealogical Society , 2015.

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Dianne and Jennie explore one of the world's largest Gothic cathedrals, Winchester Cathedral in Winchester, England. This cathedral is the final resting place to kings, bishops, and many other famous persons including legendary English author Jane Austen. They also discuss how Christmas was an important holiday to Jane in her personal life and how it even played a role in many of her novels. Join us as we explore the Ordinary Extraordinary Winchester Cathedral and its burials and the festive Christmas world of Jane Austen.

Photographs of Jane Austen's gravesite shared with permission by Elizabeth from https://asuitcasefullofbooks.com/

Photograph of Winchester Cathedral shared from https://www.culture24.org.uk/am53542

Resources used to research this episode include:
"Jane Austen Basics Brief Background ." https://www.janeausten.org/. www.janeausten.org/jane-austen-basics.php. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

Tomes, Luke. "Winchester Cathedral Winchester, England, United Kingdom ." https://www.historyhit.com/. 12 Feb. 2021. www.historyhit.com/locations/winchester-cathedral/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

Dean of Winchester , The Very Revd Catherine Ogle . "Welcome from the Dean ." https://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/. www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/welcome/welcome-from-the-dean/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

"Winchester Cathedral ." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/. 26 Nov. 2021. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Cathedral. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

, Ellen. "Reveries Under the Sign of Austen, Two." https://reveriesunderthesignofausten.wordpress.com/. 23 Dec. 2017. reveriesunderthesignofausten.wordpress.com/2017/12/23/christmas-in-jane-austens-lettersandnovelsonceagain/.

Elliott, Anna. "Christmas and Jane Austen ." https://www.austenauthors.net/. 14 Dec. 2015. www.austenauthors.net/christmas-and-jane-austen/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

, Elizabeth. "Winchester: Jane Austen’s Final Resting Place ." https://asuitcasefullofbooks.com/. 15 Aug. 2019. asuitcasefullofbooks.com/winchester-jane-austens-final-resting-place/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

"Winchester Cathedral ." https://www.culture24.org.uk/. www.culture24.org.uk/am53542. Accessed 5 Dec. 2021.

Devito, Carlo. A Jane Austen Christmas Celebrating the Season of Romance, Ribbons & Mistletoe. 2015. Kennebunkport, Cider Mill Press Book Publishers, 2015.

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Jennie and Dianne sit down with BloomBridge founder Kristen Allen for an update on how the flower delivery service has been going since it launched in spring of 2021. This is a follow-up to episode number 28 when we met Kristen for the first time. BloomBridge believes there is something to be said for remembering your loved ones. Honoring someone after they pass is about respect and loyalty. Flowers in a cemetery represent that life is still there and brings peace of healing to those that are still here. They want to help spread that peace to everyone. Join us for this heartwarming conversation and find out how BloomBridge can help you deliver flowers to the graves of your loved ones or how you can become a BloomBridge runner and deliver flowers for others. All this and more on this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery!

To start your subscription to BloomBridge or to become a BloomBridge runner, please visit their website through the link below:

https://bloom-bridge.com/

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November is National Native American Heritage Month so in this episode Jennie and Dianne learn about the death and burial traditions of the Ordinary Extraordinary Hopi, Navajo and Apache nations of the American Southwest. They end the episode by sharing the Hopi story of The Land of the Dead. -  "The young man said, "I did not believe that there was such a place as this. I thought, 'When a man dies, his spirit surely dies with him and lies with his body in the grave.' Now I understand how things are."

Resources for this episode include:

Courlander, Harold. The Fourth World of the Hopis: The Epic Story of the Hopi Indians as Preserved in their Legends and Traditions. Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press, 1971, pp. 101-110.

, Admin. "Death in Pueblo and Athabascan Cultures ." http://nativeamericannetroots.net/. 18 Mar. 2013. nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/1467. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Tribe , Hopi. " Welcome to the Hopi Tribe ." https://www.hopi-nsn.gov/. 21 Nov. 2021. www.hopi-nsn.gov/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Krystyna, Klaudia. "Native American Death Rituals, Funerals & Burial Customs ." https://www.joincake.com/. www.joincake.com/blog/native-american-death-rituals/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Language of Place: Hopi Place Names, Poetry, Traditional Dance and Song. Unknown, Edsitement!.

Nation, Navajo. "History." https://www.navajo-nsn.gov/. 21 Nov. 2021. www.navajo-nsn.gov/history.htm. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Northern Arizona, Museum Of. "THE NAVAJO WAY OF BEING ." https://musnaz.org/. 18 July 2012. musnaz.org/the-navajo-way-of-being/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Lewis, Ray Baldwin. "Navajo Culture." https://www.discovernavajo.com/experience-the-navajo-nation/. 12 Aug. 2021. www.discovernavajo.com/experience-the-navajo-nation/navajo-culture/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Apache Tribe, Mescalero. "Our Culture." https://mescaleroapachetribe.com/. 21 Nov. 2021. mescaleroapachetribe.com/our-culture/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

Trust, Grand Canyon. "Hopi." https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/. 21 Nov. 2021. www.grandcanyontrust.org/info/hopi. Accessed 21 Nov. 2021.

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