Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Textuals (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Required percentage of sales price	0.00%	0.00%
Amortization of cemetery property		$ 44,976,000	$ 40,046,000	$ 32,418,000
Depreciation		120,227,000	118,047,000	116,391,000
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, Low End of the Range	1.90%	1.90%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, High End of the Range	6.20%	6.20%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	8.50%	8.50%
Intangible Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Savings Rate	0.040	0.040
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	8.70%	8.70%
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)	1,200,000
Retirement of treasury shares		0	0	0
Funeral [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property		0	0	0
Depreciation		91,024,000	89,872,000	87,897,000
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.50%	2.50%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.50%	2.50%
Cemetery [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property		44,976,000	40,046,000	32,418,000
Depreciation		$ 22,783,000	$ 21,355,000	$ 20,909,000
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.90%	2.90%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.90%	2.90%
Treasury Stock [Member]
Retirement of treasury shares		(17,167)	(19,174)	12,973
Minimum [Member]
Funeral home lease life		1 year
Transportation equipment lease life		1 year
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life		2 years
Minimum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives		P7Y
Minimum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives		P3Y
Maximum [Member]
Funeral home lease life		40 years
Transportation equipment lease life		5 years
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life		40 years
Maximum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives		P40Y
Maximum [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives		P8Y
Maximum [Member] | Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives		P10Y
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life		2 years
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life		40 years