Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Cemetery [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	$ 1,047,929	$ 1,002,241
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	99,641	119,492
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(96,106)	(58,962)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,051,464	1,062,771
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	51,022	50,884
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	6,438	2,493
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(313)	(307)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	57,147	53,070
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	16,566	15,669
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	381	362
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(24)	(4)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	16,923	16,027
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	42,803	39,265
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,033	3,387
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(961)	(402)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	43,875	42,250
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	167	863
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5	31
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(2)	(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	170	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	3,365	4,577
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	86	453
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(270)	(124)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,181	4,906
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	408,075	386,537
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	71,138	82,385
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(30,454)	(10,821)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	448,759	458,101
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	18,289	17,279
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,547	3,869
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,780)	(850)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	19,056	20,298
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	30,501	31,466
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,843	2,485
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,536)	(3,645)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	30,808	30,306
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	197,523	202,328
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	3,317	15,173
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(24,911)	(18,569)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	175,929	198,932
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	248,529	226,567
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	11,670	8,537
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(20,238)	(9,959)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	239,961	225,145
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	30,783	19,596
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	53	13
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(15,617)	(13,890)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	15,219	5,719
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	306	874
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	130	43
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(385)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 436	$ 532