As four of the five young girls killed Monday were laid to rest, tales of selfless heroism emerged of one victim who reportedly asked killer Charles Roberts to "shoot me first," to save her classmates.
But the grief looked set to deepen, as US media reports said that one critically wounded schoolgirl had been taken off life support in hospital and brought back to her spartan Pennsylvania home to die.
The reclusive Amish sect, which disdains trappings of the modern world, turned in on itself, as hundreds of mourners gathered at three separate services in the homes of each child.
Police sealed off roads leading into the small town of Nickel Mines. There was also a no-fly zone to stop media helicopters buzzing overhead.
Those laid to rest Thursday were Naomi Rose Ebersole, seven; Marian Fisher, 13, and finally Mary Liz Miller, eight, and her seven-year-old sister, Lena. All died in the simple one-room schoolhouse before Roberts turned the gun on himself.
Each girl was buried in a plain pine coffin, using no metal in accordance with the Amish belief that all human remains should return to dust.
Each was dressed by female relatives in plain white dresses and laid out at home in open caskets as mourners arrived to pay respects, said Rita Rhodes, a local midwife who delivered two of the victims.
As the services went ahead, there were stunning tales of bravery from the oldest victim, Fisher, who reportedly stepped forward and told Roberts to gun her down in a bid to save her classmates. "Shoot me first," Fisher said, ABC News reported, quoting Rhodes.
Fisher's younger sister Barbie, who survived, then reportedly said: "Shoot me second."
"There was a tremendous amount of calm and courage in that schoolroom," said Rhodes.
The funeral for Ebersole was first and was followed by a cortege to the hilltop Georgetown Amish cemetery for a simple burial. A large black carriage carried the coffin and was followed by Amish families in 32 horse draw buggies and two big open carriages.
A sign in front of one house on the route said "Our thoughts and prayers to all the families".
There were more than 50 carriages for the procession for the Miller sisters.
On Friday, the funeral of 12-year-old Anna Mae Stoltzfus was planned.
Media reports said that a sixth victim had been taken home to die from the Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey after being taken off life support. The hospital refused to comment, citing a family request for confidentiality.
Four other girls aged between six and 13 remain hospitalized in critical or serious condition.
Roberts, who was armed with a handgun, shotgun, and other weapons, lined the girls up against a blackboard and shot them "execution-style."
Police believe that the 32-year-old father-of-three had planned to sexually assault the girls. He had told his wife that he had abused two young relatives when he was 12 and had started having dreams of assaulting young girls.
A man whose daughters and grandchildren survived the killings meanwhile told how girls questioned the gunman as to why he was carrying out the attack before he opened fire.
Leroy Zook told the New York Times: "And he told them why: He's angry at God, he's just bitter. He told them that they're supposed to pray for him that he wouldn't do this."
Zook's 20-year-old daughter Emma Mae, a teacher, was among those who, along with her mother, escaped the school and called the police, the Times said. Another of Zook's daughters, two of his daughters-in-law, and two grandchildren also escaped unharmed, the daily said.
Zook told the Times that he had shaken hands with the father-in-law of Roberts since the siege.
"I think it's helping him to meet people, too, and see that there's no grudge," he told the Times. "How could you hold a grudge against the wife, the family?"
© 2006 Agence France-Presse