Preneed Trust Investments (Cost and fair market values associated with preneed funeral trust investments) (Details) (Preneed Funeral Trust Investments, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 investment
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	$ 95,367	$ 83,957
Unrealized Gains	5,725	2,423
Unrealized Losses	(1,766)	(1,653)
Fair Market Value	99,326	84,727
Preneed cemetery trust investments, at market value	100,005	85,415
Market value as a percentage of cost	104.20%	100.90%
Investment securities having loss position for more than one year		2
Cash and money market accounts
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	14,631	13,448
Unrealized Gains	0	0
Unrealized Losses	0	0
Fair Market Value	14,631	13,448
U.S. Treasury debt
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	2,212	3,001
Unrealized Gains	47	75
Unrealized Losses	(54)	0
Fair Market Value	2,205	3,076
U.S. agency obligations
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	401	142
Unrealized Gains	8	4
Unrealized Losses	(7)	0
Fair Market Value	402	146
Foreign Debt
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	2,726	1,217
Unrealized Gains	115	273
Unrealized Losses	(2)	0
Fair Market Value	2,839	1,490
Corporate Debt Securities
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	27,993	25,060
Unrealized Gains	375	661
Unrealized Losses	(957)	(331)
Fair Market Value	27,411	25,390
Preferred Stock
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	15,949	15,228
Unrealized Gains	292	715
Unrealized Losses	(282)	(193)
Fair Market Value	15,959	15,750
Collateralized Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	1
Unrealized Gains	0
Unrealized Losses	0
Fair Market Value	1
Common Stock
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	10,681	5,770
Unrealized Gains	2,092	27
Unrealized Losses	(237)	(996)
Fair Market Value	12,536	4,801
Equity Securities
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	11,632	11,843
Unrealized Gains	2,708	487
Unrealized Losses	(22)	(78)
Fair Market Value	14,318	12,252
Fixed Income Securities
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	5,455	6,105
Unrealized Gains	88	181
Unrealized Losses	(179)	(40)
Fair Market Value	5,364	6,246
Other Investments
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	3,686	2,143
Unrealized Gains	0	0
Unrealized Losses	(26)	(15)
Fair Market Value	3,660	2,128
Accrued Investment Income
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	679	688
Fair Market Value	$ 679	$ 688