Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Statement (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 127,751	$ 101,682
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss on early extinguishment of debt, net	0	3,504
Depreciation and amortization	89,349	88,363
Amortization of intangible assets	17,950	19,497
Amortization of cemetery property	31,528	27,889
Amortization of loan costs	3,635	3,259
Provision for doubtful accounts	6,801	6,431
Provision for deferred income taxes	57,428	40,038
Losses (gains) on divestitures and impairment charges, net	(883)	15,264
Share-based compensation	8,217	6,843
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:
Decrease in receivables	4,857	13,583
Increase (decrease) in other assets	(6,331)	2,560
Decrease in payables and other liabilities	6,623	7,808
Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:
Decrease in preneed funeral receivables, net and trust investments	30,343	47,263
Decrease in deferred preneed funeral revenue	(30,325)	(30,724)
Decrease in deferred preneed funeral receipts held in trust	(18,185)	(33,203)
Effect of cemetery production and deliveries:
Increase in preneed cemetery receivables, net and trust investments	(72,012)	(47,977)
Increase in deferred preneed cemetery revenue	27,502	26,502
(Increase) decrease in deferred preneed cemetery receipts held in trust	(480)	(6,280)
Other	(3,481)	(989)
Net cash provided by operating activities	280,287	291,313
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(80,973)	(85,936)
Acquisitions	(19,281)	(97,473)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment, net	8,933	15,233
Net withdrawals of restricted funds and other	(3,816)	956
Net cash used in investing activities	(95,137)	(167,220)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	17,907	65,000
Payments of debt	(988)	(2,169)
Early extinguishment of debt	0	(43,089)
Principal payments on capital leases	(19,303)	(17,186)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	17,347	7,694
Purchase of Company common stock	(144,607)	(146,590)
Payments of dividends	(34,844)	(33,395)
Bank overdrafts and other	868	3,573
Net cash used in financing activities	(163,620)	(166,162)
Effect of foreign currency on cash and cash equivalents	1,448	(1,740)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	22,978	(43,809)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	128,569	170,846
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 151,547	$ 127,037