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		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	$ 20,763	$ 25,588	$ 108,604	$ 132,064
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(13,050)	(17,108)	(49,193)	(52,715)
Impairment charges	(344)	(42,423)	(1,764)	(47,218)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	12,443	14,313	41,312	57,405
Trust expenses and income taxes	(6,131)	(5,882)	(17,238)	(15,120)
Net trust investment income	13,681	(25,512)	81,721	74,416
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(13,681)	25,512	(81,721)	(74,416)
Other income, net	2,317	249	4,001	969
Total other income, net	2,317	249	4,001	969
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	2,594,157		2,594,157		2,427,469
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(3,518)		(3,518)		(3,113)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	2,590,639		2,590,639		2,424,356
Care trusts’ corpus	1,090,934		1,090,934		1,015,300
Funeral [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	7,681	11,353	43,446	49,618
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(4,570)	(6,586)	(18,730)	(18,215)
Impairment charges	(151)	(17,533)	(725)	(20,821)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	2,083	3,911	10,834	15,085
Trust expenses and income taxes	(2,288)	(2,116)	(7,236)	(4,982)
Net trust investment income	2,755	(10,971)	27,589	20,685
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(2,755)	10,971	(27,589)	(20,685)
Other income, net	0	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0	0
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,328,590		1,328,590		1,271,446
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(1,531)		(1,531)		(1,261)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,327,059		1,327,059		1,270,185
Cemetery [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	9,754	10,134	57,636	51,225
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(6,962)	(8,758)	(25,028)	(19,994)
Impairment charges	(189)	(24,885)	(781)	(26,081)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	2,247	4,217	8,308	16,545
Trust expenses and income taxes	(3,116)	(3,119)	(9,367)	(7,385)
Net trust investment income	1,734	(22,411)	30,768	14,310
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(1,734)	22,411	(30,768)	(14,310)
Other income, net	0	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0	0
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,265,567		1,265,567		1,156,023
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(1,987)		(1,987)		(1,852)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,263,580		1,263,580		1,154,171
Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	3,328	4,101	7,522	31,221
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(1,518)	(1,764)	(5,435)	(14,506)
Impairment charges	(4)	(5)	(258)	(316)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	8,113	6,185	22,170	25,775
Trust expenses and income taxes	(727)	(647)	(635)	(2,753)
Net trust investment income	9,192	7,870	23,364	39,421
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(9,192)	(7,870)	(23,364)	(39,421)
Other income, net	0	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0	0
Care trusts' corpus, excluding accrued expenses	1,091,083		1,091,083		1,016,506
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(149)		(149)		(1,206)
Care trusts’ corpus	1,090,934		1,090,934		1,015,300
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0	0	0
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0	0	0
Impairment charges	0	0	0	0
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	0	0	0	0
Trust expenses and income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net trust investment income	0	0	0	0
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	0	0	0	0
Other income, net	2,317	249	4,001	969
Total other income, net	$ 2,317	$ 249	$ 4,001	$ 969