Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Cemetery [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	$ 1,139,946	$ 1,047,929
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	119,899	99,641
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(55,761)	(96,106)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,204,084	1,051,464
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	99,630	51,022
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	7,925	6,438
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(841)	(313)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	106,714	57,147
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	17,562	16,566
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	402	381
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(83)	(24)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	17,881	16,923
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	43,515	42,803
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,456	2,033
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(775)	(961)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	45,196	43,875
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	150	167
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	4	5
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	0	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	154	170
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	5,840	3,365
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	334	86
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(196)	(270)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	5,978	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	363,190	408,075
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	71,613	71,138
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(7,716)	(30,454)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	427,087	448,759
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	16,026	18,289
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	2,862	2,547
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(846)	(1,780)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	18,042	19,056
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	29,889	30,501
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	3,687	1,843
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(857)	(1,536)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	32,719	30,808
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	1	1
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	279,265	197,523
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	19,520	3,317
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(9,921)	(24,911)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	288,864	175,929
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	251,687	248,529
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	10,975	11,670
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(19,350)	(20,238)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	243,312	239,961
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	32,785	30,783
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	77	53
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(15,175)	(15,617)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	17,687	15,219
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Fair Value Hierarchy Level	3	3
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	407	306
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains	44	130
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses	(1)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 450	$ 436