Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Textuals (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Amortization of cemetery property		$ 40,046,000	$ 32,418,000	$ 30,664,000
Depreciation		118,047,000	116,391,000	111,102,000
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, Low End of the Range	2.60%	2.60%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, High End of the Range	5.60%	5.60%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	8.50%	8.50%
Intangible Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Savings Rate	4.00%	4.00%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	8.70%	8.70%
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)	1,200,000
Retirement of treasury shares		0	0	0
Funeral [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property		0	0	0
Depreciation		89,872,000	87,897,000	85,324,000
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.60%	2.60%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.60%	2.60%
Cemetery [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property		40,046,000	32,418,000	30,664,000
Depreciation		$ 21,355,000	$ 20,909,000	$ 21,889,000
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.90%	2.90%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.90%	2.90%
Treasury Stock [Member]
Retirement of treasury shares		19,174	12,973	400