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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

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This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast Jennie and Dianne are joined by Father Edward Looney, a Marian theologian, author, and speaker. Father Edward has written several books, including "A Heart Like Mary's," and has been featured on EWTN, Relevant Radio, and other platforms. Currently serving as a parish priest in the Diocese of Green Bay, Father Edward shares his passion for strolling through cemeteries and honoring the dead and tells of his work with St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Gardner, Wisconsin, a cemetery he's helped restore; including the remarkable discovery of 31 previously unknown burials and how an antique shrine was relocated to the grounds to honor those without markers.

Want to tune in to Father Edward's podcast, "Hey Everybody! It's Fr. Edward!" Listen here: https://heyeverybody.fireside.fm/

You can also follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. You can find is social media links in his "Guest Profile" on our website https://www.theordinaryextraordinarycemetery.com/

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

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Join Jennie and Dianne on The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast as they sit down with author Jan MacKell Collins to explore the life and legacy of Phoebe Ann Mosey, famously known as Annie Oakley! Celebrated for her sharp shooting skills and starring role in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Annie Oakley defied Ordinary conventions and became a beloved and Extraordinary icon of the American West. But how much of what we know about her is fact, and how much is fiction?

View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-VZY8ldjS9w?si=en2SO2d50pCnmqiQ

To learn more about Annie Oakley and the stories of so many other women of the Wild West, visit Jan MacKell Collins on her website or via Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky: https://www.janmackellcollins.com/

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