Franklin D. Roosevelt left extremely detailed and explicit instructions for his funeral “in the event of my death in office as President of the United States.” The instructions were contained in a four-page penciled document dated December 26, 1937, early in his second term, and were addressed to his eldest son, James. The instructions included these directions: • That a service of the utmost simplicity be held in the East Room of the White House. • That there be no lying in state anywhere.
