Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 944,117	$ 911,250
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	75,295	60,001
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(51,018)	(78,566)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	968,394	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	104,430	77,299
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5,093	4,565
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(921)	(373)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	108,602	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	113,880	114,586
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	717	838
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(84)	(109)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	114,513	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	52,424	49,210
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,302	1,849
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(574)	(770)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	54,152	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	3,296	3,292
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	76	71
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(4)	(34)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,368	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	3	6
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	130	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	2,897	2,041
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	184	50
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(135)	(153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	2,946	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	220,152	258,738
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	47,415	40,992
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(8,259)	(22,715)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	259,308	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	23,081	23,986
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,036	2,511
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,516)	(1,771)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	23,601	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	17,384	18,954
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,094	1,045
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(574)	(1,296)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	18,904	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	147,131	134,383
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	6,464	2,384
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(8,755)	(18,982)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	144,840	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	221,433	193,134
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	8,322	5,044
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(8,908)	(13,114)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	220,847	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	37,346	35,017
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	211	218
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(21,288)	(19,249)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	16,269	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	536	484
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	378	428
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 914	$ 912