Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 936,519	$ 911,250
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	58,939	60,001
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(67,811)	(78,566)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	927,647	892,685
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	100,936	77,299
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5,216	4,565
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,593)	(373)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	104,559	81,491
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	111,163	114,586
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	661	838
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(24)	(109)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	111,800	115,315
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	52,932	49,210
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,816	1,849
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(831)	(770)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	53,917	50,289
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	3,440	3,292
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	67	71
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(4)	(34)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,503	3,329
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	127	126
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	4	6
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	131	132
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	2,573	2,041
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	87	50
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(166)	(153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	2,494	1,938
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	220,714	258,738
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	37,656	40,992
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(12,957)	(22,715)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	245,413	277,015
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	23,450	23,986
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,799	2,511
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,237)	(1,771)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	23,012	24,726
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	17,198	18,954
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,231	1,045
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(955)	(1,296)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	17,474	18,703
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	148,209	134,383
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	3,396	2,384
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(14,893)	(18,982)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	136,712	117,785
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	217,660	193,134
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	6,360	5,044
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(12,656)	(13,114)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	211,364	185,064
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	3	3
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	37,641	35,017
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	213	218
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(21,495)	(19,249)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	16,359	15,986
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	3	3
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	476	484
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	433	428
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 909	$ 912