Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Statement (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 101,682	$ 90,232
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss on early extinguishment of debt, net	3,504	9,357
Depreciation and amortization	88,363	87,676
Amortization of intangible assets	19,497	18,816
Amortization of cemetery property	27,889	23,438
Amortization of loan costs	3,259	3,223
Provision for doubtful accounts	6,431	4,137
Provision for deferred income taxes	40,038	39,273
Losses (gains) on divestitures and impairment charges, net	15,264	(5,831)
Share-based compensation	6,843	6,714
Excess tax benefit from share-based awards	0	(831)
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:
Decrease in receivables	13,583	6,793
Decrease (increase) in other assets	2,560	(1,094)
Increase in payables and other liabilities	7,808	7,687
Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:
Decrease in preneed funeral receivables, net and trust investments	47,263	30,434
Decrease in deferred preneed funeral revenue	(30,724)	(4,218)
Decrease in deferred preneed funeral receipts held in trust	(33,203)	(27,240)
Effect of cemetery production and deliveries:
Increase in preneed cemetery receivables, net and trust investments	(47,977)	(29,849)
Increase in deferred preneed cemetery revenue	26,502	7,369
(Decrease) increase in deferred preneed cemetery receipts held in trust	(6,280)	1,496
Other	(989)	(1,471)
Net cash provided by operating activities	291,313	266,111
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(85,936)	(67,443)
Acquisitions	(97,473)	(281,800)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment, net	15,233	82,866
Net withdrawals of restricted funds and other	956	26,440
Net cash used in investing activities	(167,220)	(239,937)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	65,000	245,000
Debt issuance costs	0	(6,203)
Payments of debt	(2,169)	(32,398)
Early extinguishment of debt	(43,089)	(118,562)
Repayments of Debt	43,089	118,562
Principal payments on capital leases	(17,186)	(40,716)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	7,694	1,469
Excess tax benefit from share-based awards	0	831
Purchase of Company common stock	(146,590)	(86,871)
Payments of dividends	(33,395)	(30,224)
Bank overdrafts and other	3,573	(5,655)
Net cash used in financing activities	(166,162)	(73,329)
Effect of foreign currency on cash and cash equivalents	(1,740)	3,223
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(43,809)	(43,932)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	170,846	179,745
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 127,037	$ 135,813