Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 954,925	$ 911,250
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	69,555	60,001
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(46,507)	(78,566)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	977,973	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	105,594	77,299
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	5,072	4,565
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(880)	(373)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	109,786	81,491
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	110,399	114,586
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	861	838
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(113)	(109)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	111,147	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	51,611	49,210
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,531	1,849
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(623)	(770)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	53,519	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	3,123	3,292
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	57	71
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(8)	(34)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,172	3,329
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	129	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	132	132
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	2	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	3,603	2,041
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	211	50
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(103)	(153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,711	1,938
US 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	230,971	258,738
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	38,514	40,992
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(6,903)	(22,715)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	262,582	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	23,284	23,986
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,598	2,511
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1,271)	(1,771)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	24,611	24,726
Other International 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	18,089	18,954
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	1,874	1,045
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(658)	(1,296)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	19,305	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	145,589	134,383
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	10,097	2,384
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(6,728)	(18,982)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	148,958	117,785
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	225,365	193,134
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	7,314	5,044
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(10,252)	(13,114)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	222,427	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	36,626	35,017
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	221	218
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(18,968)	(19,249)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	17,879	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	542	484
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	202	428
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 744	$ 912