Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Cemetery [Member], USD $) In Thousands	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 1,006,955	$ 1,002,241
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	72,870	119,492
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(112,322)	(58,962)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	967,503	1,062,771
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	51,242	50,884
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5,524	2,493
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(305)	(307)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	56,461	53,070
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	17,067	15,669
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	492	362
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(10)	(4)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	17,549	16,027
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	41,828	39,265
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,441	3,387
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,628)	(402)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	41,641	42,250
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	168	863
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5	31
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1)	(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	172	893
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis		6,336
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains		261
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses		(5)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value		6,592
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	3,729	4,577
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	24	453
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(462)	(124)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,291	4,906
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	389,521	386,537
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	47,683	82,385
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(48,239)	(10,821)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	388,965	458,101
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	17,177	17,279
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,857	3,869
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,527)	(850)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	18,507	20,298
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	28,103	31,466
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	744	2,485
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(4,028)	(3,645)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	24,819	30,306
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	181,246	202,328
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,883	15,173
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(24,032)	(18,569)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	159,097	198,932
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	246,647	226,567
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	12,081	8,537
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(15,832)	(9,959)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	242,896	225,145
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	29,892	19,596
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	44	13
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(16,258)	(13,890)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	13,678	5,719
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	335	874
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	92	43
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(385)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 427	$ 532