Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 936,016	$ 911,250
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	75,183	60,001
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(56,213)	(78,566)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	954,986	892,685
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	106,997	77,299
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	4,731	4,565
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,130)	(373)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	109,598	81,491
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	113,298	114,586
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	367	838
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(73)	(109)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	113,592	115,315
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	51,266	49,210
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,453	1,849
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(577)	(770)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	53,142	50,289
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	3,294	3,292
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	65	71
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(4)	(34)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,355	3,329
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	127	126
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5	6
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	132	132
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	1,885	2,041
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	81	50
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(111)	(153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,855	1,938
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	219,926	258,738
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	50,121	40,992
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(8,221)	(22,715)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	261,826	277,015
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	23,261	23,986
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,851	2,511
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,352)	(1,771)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	24,760	24,726
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	17,232	18,954
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,695	1,045
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(538)	(1,296)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	18,389	18,703
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	146,494	134,383
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	7,339	2,384
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(8,898)	(18,982)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	144,935	117,785
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	215,124	193,134
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	4,849	5,044
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(13,174)	(13,114)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	206,799	185,064
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	36,605	35,017
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	214	218
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(21,135)	(19,249)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	15,684	15,986
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	507	484
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	412	428
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 919	$ 912