Deferred Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trusts' Corpus Level 4 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	$ 2,628,030	$ 2,427,469
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(3,709)	(3,113)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	2,624,321	2,424,356
Care trusts’ corpus	1,098,752	1,015,300
Total other income, net	3,668	(772)	3,009
Operating Segments [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	159,961	162,714	91,973
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(57,446)	(104,361)	(108,164)
Impairment charges	(2,365)	(54,151)	(21,655)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	68,293	84,652	75,391
Trust expenses and income taxes	(25,429)	(20,656)	(16,500)
Net trust investment income	143,014	68,198	21,045
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(143,014)	(68,198)	(21,045)
Other income, net	3,668	(772)	3,009
Total other income, net	3,668	(772)	3,009
Funeral [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,337,014	1,271,446
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(1,827)	(1,261)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,335,187	1,270,185
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	60,833	61,272	36,807
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(21,454)	(41,162)	(46,601)
Impairment charges	(781)	(24,705)	(8,135)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	17,017	22,283	18,571
Trust expenses and income taxes	(10,685)	(7,303)	(4,920)
Net trust investment income	44,930	10,385	(4,278)
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(44,930)	(10,385)	4,278
Other income, net	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0
Cemetery [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,291,016	1,156,023
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(1,882)	(1,852)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,289,134	1,154,171
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	87,665	67,167	43,413
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(29,397)	(46,889)	(51,771)
Impairment charges	(824)	(28,705)	(5,749)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	17,244	26,902	22,464
Trust expenses and income taxes	(13,389)	(10,579)	(9,708)
Net trust investment income	61,299	7,896	(1,351)
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(61,299)	(7,896)	1,351
Other income, net	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0
Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(828)	(1,206)
Care trusts' corpus, excluding accrued expenses	1,099,580	1,016,506
Care trusts’ corpus	1,098,752	1,015,300
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	11,463	34,275	11,753
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(6,595)	(16,310)	(9,792)
Impairment charges	(760)	(741)	(7,771)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	34,032	35,467	34,356
Trust expenses and income taxes	(1,355)	(2,774)	(1,872)
Net trust investment income	36,785	49,917	26,674
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(36,785)	(49,917)	(26,674)
Other income, net	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0	0
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0	0
Impairment charges	0	0	0
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	0	0	0
Trust expenses and income taxes	0	0	0
Net trust investment income	0	0	0
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	0	0	0
Other income, net	3,668	(772)	3,009
Total other income, net	$ 3,668	$ (772)	$ 3,009