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On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, uncover the mystery behind Dr. Samuel Bean's cryptic monument in Wellesley, Ontario, where two of his wives, Henrietta and Susanna, rest in peace. Jennie and Dianne explore the Ordinary Extraordinary life of Samuel, a Civil War veteran and puzzle enthusiast, and the intricate cryptogram headstone that kept visitors guessing for 80 years. What secrets did Samuel hide in the stone, and what message did he want the world to know?

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xW15IiUlEUg?si=UOzm0omaHFywSlrv

Purchase tickets for the 36th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-36th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1435390223799?aff=oddtdtcreator

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 this episode include:

, BirdDog1959. "Cryptic Headstone Puzzles Visitors ." https://ancestrybirddog.wordpress.com/. 12 July 2001. ancestrybirddog.wordpress.com/2021/07/12/cryptic-headstone-puzzles-visitors/. Accessed 20 July 2025.

, Wellesley Township Heritage & Historical Society . "https://www.wellesleyhistory.org/settlement-patterns-of-wellesley-townshiip.html." https://www.wellesleyhistory.org/. www.wellesleyhistory.org/settlement-patterns-of-wellesley-townshiip.html. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Hayden, Martha. "A Grave With A Secret Code." https://www.restless-viking.com/. 30 Jan. 2024. www.restless-viking.com/2024/01/30/a-grave-with-a-secret-code/. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Campbell , Tim. "Henrietta Furry Bean ." https://www.findagrave.com/. 15 May 2010. www.findagrave.com/memorial/52428366/henrietta-bean. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Barwick, Susan. "Rev Samuel G “Sam” Bean ." https://www.findagrave.com/. 27 Feb. 2013. www.findagrave.com/memorial/105902136/samuel_g-bean. Accessed 20 July 2025.

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

Join the dynamic trio—Jennie, Dianne, and Ryan Seidemann—for the third chapter of the “Death and Dying 101” series! This episode dives into global memorials, uncovering cultural quirks and mysteries. Are catacombs serene sanctuaries or lively public spaces? Unravel the Victorian dread of premature burial and the coffin bells that chimed in the night. Explore the collision of burial and cremation in our global village. Delve into the Ordinary Extraordinary Tibetan tradition of letting nature reclaim the body. Learn how enslavement shaped African burial customs across the Americas. All this and more on this latest episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast.

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FoBaByzbkCY

To learn more about the 19 who were returned to be honored by their descendants, check out the following links:

1. https://www.dillard.edu/about/honoring-the-nineteen/

2. https://vimeo.com/event/5154230

Purchase tickets for the 36th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-36th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1435390223799?aff=oddtdtcreator

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

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

"Every death had a life and every life had a story," but how is it that we uncover so many of the narratives we share on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast? Much of it comes from searching through genealogical archives and other records. On this latest episode, Jennie and Dianne chat with Jen Shaffer, a full-time professional genealogist and owner of The Formidable Genealogist. She is passionate about short-form genealogy education and has made it her mission to help make the complex world of ancestry accessible to everyone. She engages her audience with daily social media videos, where she generously shares insightful tips, techniques, and stories from the field. Tune in to discover how Jen’s expertise helps us connect the Ordinary Extraordinary dots between lives lived, stories told, and the legacies left behind.

To learn more about the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and how to support it, visit: https://fundnara.com/

Want to learn how to research like Jen Shaffer? Visit her website to purchase her guides, sign up for her classes, and more! https://www.theformidablegenealogist.com/

You can also find her as The Formidable Genealogist on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and BlueSky.

Purchase tickets for the 36th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-36th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1435390223799?aff=oddtdtcreator

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

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

Get ready to stop and smell the roses...in the cemetery! This week Jennie and Dianne explore the practical, symbolic, and cultural significance of flowers in death. From ancient Egypt and Greece to Victorian-era cemeteries, flowers have played a significant role in mourning and remembrance around the globe. Sow the seeds of curiosity and tune in to this week's episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast as we dig up the dirt on floral death traditions.

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e7tFcdAnPV4

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 this episode include:

Staff, B. & W. (n.d.). Bloom & Wild Flower Delivery: Flowers & Gifts. https://www.bloomandwild.com/the-blog/floriography-language-of-flowers-meaning

Wessel, F. (n.d.). Flower symbols and meanings on gravestones. Stoneletters. https://stoneletters.com/blog/flower-symbols-and-meanings-on-gravestones

O'Brien, M. (2022, October 27). The Significance of Funeral Flowers. Www.Kelleyhousemuseum.org. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://www.kelleyhousemuseum.org/the-significance-of-funeral-flowers-by-marguerite-obrien/

(n.d.). Memorial Flowers: The Oldest Form of Tribute. Journalofantiques.com. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://journalofantiques.com/features/flowers-the-oldest-form-of-tribute/

Woodyard, C. (2024, February 21). Funeral Flowers. Thevictorianbookofthedead.Wordpress.com. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://thevictorianbookofthedead.wordpress.com/tag/funeral-flowers/

(n.d.). Crown of justification. En.Wikipedia.org. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_of_justification

(2023, September 11). What is the meaning of the wreath at a funeral? Funeralflorist.Wordpress.com. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://funeralflorist.wordpress.com/2023/09/11/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-wreath-at-a-funeral/

Staff, S. &. V. (2018, August 9). The Fascinating History of Funeral Wreaths. Www.Scentandviolet.com. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://www.scentandviolet.com/info/blog/fascinating-history-funeral-wreaths/?srsltid=AfmBOooLmeLyV-Tcs-gMhrZaNMd8-PkH5CdrSgIUr5ttKEZY6AfMxmBM

(n.d.). Thistle - national flower of Scotland. Www.Visitscotland.com. Retrieved July 2, 2025, from https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/attractions/arts-culture/thistle

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

"Fear and grief are not just inevitable — they are sacred rites of passage. A catalyst for transformation and resilience. And they belong to all of us." On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Jennie and Dianne chat with the creators of a live performance that blends comedy, storytelling, and poetry; Life: A Delightful Show About Fear and Grief. Special guests Andrea Sodergren, Elaina McMillan and Katie Mason share what happens when darkness meets humor, and how that unlikely pairing can lead to profound insights and healing as they all explore the messy, beautiful intersections of humor, heartache, and human connection.

To learn more about the show or to purchase tickets, visit: https://fearandgrief.com/

*Photos by Paul Winner and Jeff Stonic and shared with permission.

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/psd1OBKz9_E

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

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

Join Jennie, Dianne and favorite guest Ryan Seidemann for the latest installment of Death and Dying 101: a new reoccurring feature on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast where they answer and discuss questions from Ryan's students at Arizona State University. Some of the questions addressed in this episode include:

What is the typical legal/compensational responsibility of graveyards in the event of a natural disaster?

Is there any burial insurance that covers the reinterment of bodies after natural disasters, or is it largely covered by state/federal funds?

Do bones ever completely decompose?

They also discuss how the military began setting provisions for the return of the dead beginning in WWI through the present. Tune in to learn the answers to all this and more!

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8uJBA4pI020

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

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

Join Jennie and Dianne for an Ordinary Extraordinary conversation as they dig up the truth with special guest Bob Perry, aka the Bone Finder! With his expertise in cemetery geophysics and ground-penetrating radar, Bob has uncovered secrets in historic cemeteries and helped law enforcement crack cold cases. The graves are about to get a whole lot more interesting on this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast!

Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AM1P7CXPA3A?si=QxXr889E6t5mthgQ

To learn more about the services Bob provides or his many unique adventures, visit his website: https://topographix.com/

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

Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.

"Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes a part of you, step for step, breath for breath - That's just how it is. Grief and love are conjoined, you don't get one without the other." - Jandy Nelson, The Sky is Everywhere -- Grief is a universal experience, but it's unique to each individual. On this episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast Jennie and Dianne tackle the tough topic of grief, exploring different types of loss and the emotional, physical, and psychological impact of mourning. They also share ways to offer meaningful support to those who are grieving, offer some online resources and discuss how cemeteries can be places of solace, comfort and even healing.

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/E7ObFxO1tPw?si=YxVKopbnm2iRcb3l

If you or someone you know is grieving and looking for additional support here some local resources that may be able to help: hospitals, public libraries, religious institutions, schools, and community centers. There are also many online resources including: https://good-grief.org/resources/

https://www.missfoundation.org/

https://www.opentohope.com/

https://willowhouse.org/

https://whatsyourgrief.com/

Are you a cemetery or a cemetery volunteer? Please take a moment to take the "Cemetery Tourism Survey" https://6y8fuazgsp8.typeform.com/cemeterytourism The survey is created by Liz Clappin, host of Tomb With a View Podcast, and Ashlynn Rickord Werner. They are collecting data from cemeteries across the country to understand the challenges and varied ways they approach tourism. They hope this data will help better inform historic cemeteries how to best use tourism as a tool for long term preservation. The survey takes approximately 7 minutes to complete.

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