Death for the Amish isn't tragedy but transition. Funerals reflect this: simple, dignified, without show.

Preparation

Body washed and dressed at home (women prepare women, men prepare men). White clothing: man — white shirt and pants. Woman — white dress, white kapp (same as at wedding). No embalming. Cooling: ice (unnecessary in winter).

Coffin

Wooden (pine or oak), simple. Hexagonal (traditional shape — wide at shoulders, narrow below). Made by community carpenter. No lining, no handles. Cost: $200-500 vs $2,000-10,000 commercial.

Three Days

Day 1: preparation, notification (no phones — house to house). Day 2: viewing. Open coffin, at home. Neighbors visit. Day 3: service (2-3 hours, sermons, hymns). Procession to cemetery. Buggies.

Cemetery

Community, plain. All stones identical: name, dates, nothing more. No angels, photos, epitaphs. In death, as in life — all are equal.