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May is Cemetery Appreciation Month, and Jennie and Dianne are celebrating by sharing three Ordinary Extraordinary stories buried beneath the soil of three Colorado cemeteries. Hear the tragic tale of a young woman who lost her life to 'consumption' in a rural community, the complex and incomplete story of a woman institutionalized at the Colorado State Hospital for the Insane, and the gold prospector who left his family behind forcing his widow to seek justice on his behalf several years after his passing. Sometimes the most compelling stories are the ones buried in plain sight. As you walk through your own local cemeteries this month, look beyond the headstones and imagine the lives that once were. You might just uncover an Ordinary Extraordinary story waiting to be told.

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ox2JHkyC-L0

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

Resources used to research these stories include various documents and records found at www.ancestry.com and news articles printed in multiple historical newspapers on www.newspapers.com.

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Join Jennie and Dianne of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast as they kick off Cemetery Appreciation Month (May) by exploring the dos and don'ts of cemetery etiquette and safety. With spring in full bloom, cemeteries are coming alive with visitors and furry friends - but what are the unwritten rules to follow? We dive into the importance of respecting graveside services and share valuable tips on how to navigate these sacred spaces. Did we miss something crucial? Let us know - what other cemetery etiquette tips should visitors keep in mind?

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/A8tdHFG7aT0?si=Cv5rshEhQ75zEWmv

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

Looking for advice on cemetery preservation? Here are some of our recommendations:

Epoch Preservation: https://epochpreservation.com/

Atlas Preservation: https://atlaspreservation.com/pages/gravestone-restoration-monument-installation

Jason Church & the National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/ncptt/staff.htm

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"We value virtue but do not discuss it. The honest bookkeeper, the faithful wife, the earnest scholar get little of our attention compared to the embezzler, the tramp, the cheat." - John Steinbeck On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne share the tragic story of a Ida Mae Hanson, a Nebraska woman who followed her heart to Colorado where she was brutally murdered and left in an abandoned prospector's pit as if she were nothing more than trash in the summer of 1933. Joining them later in the episode is actress Meredith Bolthouse who is currently portraying Curley's wife in a theatrical presentation of John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men". While Ida Mae really lived and Curley's wife is fictitious, both are Ordinary Extraordinary women whose stories were taken for granted by the two men who should have loved and protected them above all others.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck runs April 25-27, 2025 in Castle Pines, Colorado. https://frontrangetheatre.ludus.com/index.php?sections=events&widget=1

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Special thanks to Beth Vaughn for the photos of the Hanson Family graves located in Stromsburg Cemetery in Stromsburg, Nebraska.

Resources used to research this episode include:

Various documents/records via www.ancestry.com

"Jury Selected in Neal Case." Omaha World-Herald [Omaha], 20 Mar. 1935, p. 25.

"Home from Trip." The Columbus Telegram [Columbus ], 1 Aug. 1932, p. 8.

"Death Penalty Ruled Out by Court Order." The Daily Sentinel [Grand Junction ], 23 Mar. 1935, p. 4.

"Untitled ." The Daily Sentinel [Grand Junction ], 24 Apr. 1935, p. 12.

, Associated Press. "Neal Convicted of Slaying Milliner." Greeley Daily Tribune [Greeley ], 25 Mar. 1935, p. 1.

"Murderer Trapped by Victim's Teeth." The Washington Herald [Washington D.C.], 9 June 1935, p. 63.

, Associated Press. "Murder Trial of Chas. Neal In Third Day." The Grand Island Independent [Grand Island], 20 Mar. 1935, p. 2.

"Untitled ." The Headlight [Stromsburg], 21 Mar. 1935, p. 5.

"Ex-Convict Denies Charge of Slaying Nebraska Woman." The Omaha Morning Bee-News [Omaha], 6 Feb. 1935, p. 1.

, Associated Press. "Convicted Murderer is Critically Ill." Fort Collins Coloradoan [Fort Collins], 20 May 1936, p. 1.

Sparrow, Beth. "Ida M. Hanson." https://www.findagrave.com/. 2 Nov. 2008. www.findagrave.com/memorial/31078354/ida-m-hanson. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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