Beliefs About Death

The Amish explanation of death is summed up in the quote, "The Lord giveth; the Lord taketh away." As customary for most things, the whole Amish community will assist with the preparations and burial of the deceased. The funeral and burial usually take place three days after death. A funeral director from the local area assists in a minimal way, which usually includes embalming, and sometimes includes supplying the coffin and the hearse. As soon as the body is returned home from the embalming the family member is prepared for burial. Almost all Amish funeral practices are the same. The funeral is held at home or in the barn of the deceased with neighbors and church members taking care of the service and meal.

Funeral Service

A simple wooden, six-sided coffin is built, with the upper part hinged so it can be opened for viewing the body. The casket is very plain, without ornate carving or fine fabrics. Traditionally a woman will wear the white apron she wore on her wedding day. In some Amish communities both men and women wear white for burial. A white cloth covers the face of the deceased until the end of the service. After the benediction, the funeral director removes the cloth and the Amish view the body while filing out.

Pallbearers carry the coffin out to the hearse, which is a slightly larger buggy owned by the undertaker. The funeral procession travels to the cemetery where attendees view the deceased one last time before the coffin is lowered into the ground. There is a brief service and then the grave is completely closed.

The tone of the two-hour Amish funeral service is hopeful, yet full of admonition for the living. There are no eulogies - respect for the deceased is expressed, but they are not praised. A hymn is spoken but not sung. There are no flowers. The grave is hand dug in an Amish Church district cemetery.

Mourning

Amish tradition requires that the female relatives wear black dresses in public. The time of mourning is one year for each parent, spouse, and sibling, six months of mourning for a grandparent or grandchild, three months for an aunt or uncle and six weeks for a cousin.

Memorialization

A simple tombstone is placed to mark the grave, engraved name with dates of birth and death. In death as in life, all Amish are treated equally and do not elevate one person above another.

The family will place a simple, white, rounded tombstone with the dates of the deceased birth and death.

References:

www.800padutch.com/atafaq.html#funr