Deferred Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trusts' Corpus Level 4 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	$ 67,445	$ 50,965
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(25,733)	(20,316)
Impairment charges	(650)	(4,421)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	10,199	16,511
Trust expenses and income taxes	(6,139)	(4,734)
Net trust investment income	45,122	38,005
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(45,122)	(38,005)
Other income, net	3,905	674
Total other income, net	3,905	674
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	2,562,886		2,427,469
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(4,440)		(3,113)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	2,558,446		2,424,356
Care trusts’ corpus	1,048,056		1,015,300
Funeral [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	26,011	12,877
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(9,748)	(4,034)
Impairment charges	(344)	(3,146)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	2,200	3,422
Trust expenses and income taxes	(2,569)	(1,383)
Net trust investment income	15,550	7,736
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(15,550)	(7,736)
Other income, net	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,317,105		1,271,446
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(1,936)		(1,261)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,315,169		1,270,185
Cemetery [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	39,272	16,847
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(13,770)	(5,621)
Impairment charges	(305)	(978)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	2,276	4,909
Trust expenses and income taxes	(3,185)	(1,755)
Net trust investment income	24,288	13,402
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(24,288)	(13,402)
Other income, net		0
Total other income, net	0	0
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,245,781		1,156,023
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(2,504)		(1,852)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,243,277		1,154,171
Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	2,162	21,241
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(2,215)	(10,661)
Impairment charges	(1)	(297)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	5,723	8,180
Trust expenses and income taxes	(385)	(1,596)
Net trust investment income	5,284	16,867
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(5,284)	(16,867)
Other income, net	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0
Care trusts' corpus, excluding accrued expenses	1,050,081		1,016,506
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(2,025)		(1,206)
Care trusts’ corpus	1,048,056		1,015,300
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0
Impairment charges	0	0
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	0	0
Trust expenses and income taxes	0	0
Net trust investment income	0	0
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	0	0
Other income, net	3,905	674
Total other income, net	$ 3,905	$ 674