Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 911,250	$ 837,692
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	60,001	90,876
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(78,566)	(53,525)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	892,685	875,043
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	77,299	71,948
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	4,565	2,061
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(373)	(334)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	81,491	73,675
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	114,586	121,137
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	838	1,004
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(109)	(20)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	115,315	122,121
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	49,210	33,627
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,849	2,751
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(770)	(285)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	50,289	36,093
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	3,292	5,310
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	71	135
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(34)	(22)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,329	5,423
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	126	2,984
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	6	97
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	132	3,079
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	2,041	2,835
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	50	296
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(153)	(78)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,938	3,053
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	258,738	268,650
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	40,992	63,301
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(22,715)	(8,391)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	277,015	323,560
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	23,986	22,452
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,511	4,542
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,771)	(798)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	24,726	26,196
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	18,954	21,611
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,045	2,240
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,296)	(2,330)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	18,703	21,521
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	134,383	116,260
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,384	6,123
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(18,982)	(18,289)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	117,785	104,094
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	193,134	134,181
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5,044	6,316
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(13,114)	(5,628)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	185,064	134,869
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	35,017	27,864
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	218	1,395
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(19,249)	(16,890)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	15,986	12,369
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	484	8,833
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	428	615
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(458)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 912	$ 8,990