Segment Reporting Level 4 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010		Jun. 30, 2010		Mar. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 2,316,040	$ 2,190,552	$ 2,053,520
Interest expense																	133,782	128,196	128,981
Depreciation and amortization																	118,047	116,391	111,102
Depreciation and amortization																	118,047	116,391	111,102
Amortization of intangible assets																	25,591	25,197	21,698
Amortization of cemetery property																	40,046	32,418	30,664
Total assets	9,327,812								9,190,540								9,327,812	9,190,540
Capital expenditures																	118,375	97,899	83,790
Gross profits from reportable segments	130,017		107,050		115,023		126,446		124,920		102,647		109,298		112,358		478,536	449,223	421,395
General and administrative expenses																	(103,860)	(103,689)	(102,501)
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	(10,977)	8,512	4,253
Other operating income																	0	0	740
Operating income	107,825		78,186		80,495		97,193		103,998		68,496		95,926		85,626		363,699	354,046	323,887
(Losses) gains on early extinguishment of debt, net																	(3,509)	(9,400)	3,146
Other (expense) income, net																	(772)	3,009	1,316
Income before income taxes	72,773	[1]	44,042	[1]	44,827	[1]	63,994	[1]	71,972	[1]	28,621	[1]	67,425	[1]	51,441	[1]	225,636	219,459	199,368
Long-lived assets																	4908408	4833784	4885488
UNITED STATES
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,103,738	1,981,190	1,869,042
Interest expense																	133,479	127,971	128,798
Depreciation and amortization																	105,931	104,496	100,380
Amortization of intangible assets																	24,223	23,524	19,969
Amortization of cemetery property																	35,375	27,688	27,545
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	10,299	(6,837)	(8,906)
Operating income																	311,790	301,297	288,108
Long-lived assets																	4553557	4467176	4526789
CANADA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	205,733	202,760	177,665
Interest expense																	303	225	140
Depreciation and amortization																	11,723	11,507	10,273
Amortization of intangible assets																	1,368	1,673	1,729
Amortization of cemetery property																	4,671	4,730	3,119
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	678	(1,600)	4,614
Operating income																	51,367	51,799	35,462
Long-lived assets																	351813	363008	354677
GERMANY
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	6,569	6,602	6,813
Interest expense																	0	0	43
Depreciation and amortization																	393	388	449
Amortization of intangible assets																	0	0	0
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	0	(75)	39
Operating income																	542	950	317
Long-lived assets																	3038	3600	4022
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,316,040	2,190,552	2,053,520
Interest expense																	4,262	3,290	3,395
Depreciation and amortization																	111,227	108,806	107,213
Amortization of intangible assets																	24,122	23,559	21,578
Amortization of cemetery property																	40,046	32,418	30,664
Total assets	8,991,080								8,712,703								8,991,080	8,712,703	8,297,480
Capital expenditures																	103,247	83,189	77,074
Gross profits from reportable segments																	478,536	449,223	421,395
Other (expense) income, net																	(772)	3,009	1,316
Funeral [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	1,573,498	1,492,838	1,391,894
Interest expense																	3,957	3,033	2,548
Depreciation and amortization																	89,872	87,897	85,324
Amortization of intangible assets																	18,582	17,464	15,473
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	4,494,331								4,262,675								4,494,331	4,262,675	4,081,512
Capital expenditures																	45,275	34,762	38,348
Gross profits from reportable segments																	330,732	317,068	305,809
Other (expense) income, net																	0	0	0
Cemetery [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	742,542	697,714	661,626
Interest expense																	305	257	847
Depreciation and amortization																	21,355	20,909	21,889
Amortization of intangible assets																	5,540	6,095	6,105
Amortization of cemetery property																	40,046	32,418	30,664
Total assets	4,496,749								4,450,028								4,496,749	4,450,028	4,215,968
Capital expenditures																	57,972	48,427	38,726
Gross profits from reportable segments																	147,804	132,155	115,586
Other (expense) income, net																	0	0	0
Reportable Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,316,040	2,190,552	2,053,520
Interest expense																	4,262	3,290	3,395
Depreciation and amortization																	111,227	108,806	107,213
Amortization of intangible assets																	24,122	23,559	21,578
Total assets	8,991,080								8,712,703								8,991,080	8,712,703	8,297,480
Capital expenditures																	103,247	83,189	77,074
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	0	0	0
Interest expense																	129,520	124,906	125,586
Depreciation and amortization																	6,820	7,585	3,889
Amortization of intangible assets																	1,469	1,638	120
Total assets	336,732								477,837								336,732	477,837	593,462
Capital expenditures																	15,128	14,710	6,716
Other (expense) income, net																	(772)	3,009	1,316
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,316,040	2,190,552	2,053,520
Interest expense																	133,782	128,196	128,981
Depreciation and amortization																	118,047	116,391	111,102
Amortization of intangible assets																	25,591	25,197	21,698
Total assets	9,327,812								9,190,540								9,327,812	9,190,540	8,890,942
Capital expenditures																	$ 118,375	$ 97,899	$ 83,790

[1] Includes (losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net, as described in Note 20.