Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Cemetery [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	$ 1,100,555
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	130,391	99,641
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(59,829)	(96,106)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,171,117	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	97,653	51,022
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	8,116	6,438
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(890)	(313)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	104,879	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	17,233	16,566
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	412	381
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(62)	(24)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	17,583	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	42,906	42,803
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,383	2,033
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(788)	(961)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	44,501	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	162	167
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5	5
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	167	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	4,771	3,365
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	294	86
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(286)	(270)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	4,779	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	349,200	408,075
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	90,099	71,138
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(10,828)	(30,454)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	428,471	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	15,146	18,289
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,465	2,547
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,093)	(1,780)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	16,518	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	28,750	30,501
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	4,036	1,843
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(851)	(1,536)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	31,935	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	264,373	197,523
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	10,128	3,317
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(11,521)	(24,911)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	262,980	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	246,400	248,529
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	12,359	11,670
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(15,904)	(20,238)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	242,855	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	33,553	30,783
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	59	53
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(17,604)	(15,617)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	16,008	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	408	306
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	35	130
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(2)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 441	$ 436