Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Cemetery [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	$ 1,092,780	$ 1,047,929
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	104,382	99,641
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(84,586)	(96,106)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,112,576	1,051,464
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	94,871	51,022
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	7,741	6,438
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,801)	(313)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	100,811	57,147
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	16,565	16,566
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	426	381
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(23)	(24)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	16,968	16,923
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	44,554	42,803
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,743	2,033
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,133)	(961)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	45,164	43,875
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	169	167
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	4	5
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	173	170
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	4,161	3,365
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	123	86
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(306)	(270)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,978	3,181
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	346,318	408,075
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	71,597	71,138
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(18,610)	(30,454)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	399,305	448,759
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	16,448	18,289
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	3,554	2,547
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,982)	(1,780)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	18,020	19,056
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	28,225	30,501
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,467	1,843
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,418)	(1,536)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	29,274	30,808
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	240,153	197,523
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	3,254	3,317
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(19,714)	(24,911)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	223,693	175,929
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	267,468	248,529
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	13,289	11,670
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(21,796)	(20,238)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	258,961	239,961
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	3
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	33,546	30,783
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	53	53
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(17,803)	(15,617)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	15,796	15,219
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	3
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	302	306
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	131	130
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 433	$ 436