Segment Reporting Level 4 (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 2,410,481	$ 2,316,040	$ 2,190,552
Interest expense																	135,068	133,782	128,196
Depreciation and amortization																	120,227	118,047	116,391
Depreciation and amortization																	120,227	118,047	116,391
Amortization of intangible assets																	23,853	25,591	25,197
Amortization of cemetery property																	44,976	40,046	32,418
Total assets	9,683,568								9,327,812								9,683,568	9,327,812
Capital expenditures																	115,628	118,375	97,899
Gross profits from reportable segments	148,200		121,271		128,189		127,567		130,017		107,050		115,023		126,446		525,227	478,536	449,223
General and administrative expenses																	(123,905)	(103,860)	(103,689)
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	(1,533)	(10,977)	8,512
Operating income	103,806		95,176		99,689		101,118		107,825		78,186		80,495		97,193		399,789	363,699	354,046
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net																	(22,706)	(3,509)	(9,400)
Other income (expense), net																	3,668	(772)	3,009
Income before income taxes	46,749	[1]	63,925	[1]	63,574	[1]	71,435	[1]	72,773	[1]	44,042	[1]	44,827	[1]	63,994	[1]	245,683	225,636	219,459
Long-lived assets																	4938726	4908408	4833784
UNITED STATES
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,191,532	2,103,738	1,981,190
Interest expense																	134,643	133,479	127,971
Depreciation and amortization																	108,411	105,931	104,496
Amortization of intangible assets																	22,433	24,223	23,524
Amortization of cemetery property																	39,803	35,375	27,688
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	1,502	10,299	(6,837)
Operating income																	346,289	311,790	301,297
Long-lived assets																	4575926	4553557	4467176
CANADA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	212,898	205,733	202,760
Interest expense																	425	303	225
Depreciation and amortization																	11,451	11,723	11,507
Amortization of intangible assets																	1,420	1,368	1,673
Amortization of cemetery property																	5,173	4,671	4,730
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	9	678	(1,600)
Operating income																	53,081	51,367	51,799
Long-lived assets																	359882	351813	363008
GERMANY
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	6,051	6,569	6,602
Interest expense																	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization																	365	393	388
Amortization of intangible assets																	0	0	0
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	22	0	(75)
Operating income																	419	542	950
Long-lived assets																	2918	3038	3600
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,410,481	2,316,040	2,190,552
Interest expense																	4,686	4,262	3,290
Depreciation and amortization																	113,807	111,227	108,806
Amortization of intangible assets																	23,824	24,122	23,559
Amortization of cemetery property																	44,976	40,046	32,418
Total assets	9,346,002								8,991,080								9,346,002	8,991,080	8,712,703
Capital expenditures																	102,139	103,247	83,189
Gross profits from reportable segments																	525,227	478,536	449,223
Other income (expense), net																	3,668	(772)	3,009
Funeral [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	1,625,738	1,573,498	1,492,838
Interest expense																	4,302	3,957	3,033
Depreciation and amortization																	91,024	89,872	87,897
Amortization of intangible assets																	18,803	18,582	17,464
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	4,537,444								4,494,331								4,537,444	4,494,331	4,262,675
Capital expenditures																	43,984	45,275	34,762
Gross profits from reportable segments																	349,157	330,732	317,068
Other income (expense), net																	0	0	0
Cemetery [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	784,743	742,542	697,714
Interest expense																	384	305	257
Depreciation and amortization																	22,783	21,355	20,909
Amortization of intangible assets																	5,021	5,540	6,095
Amortization of cemetery property																	44,976	40,046	32,418
Total assets	4,808,558								4,496,749								4,808,558	4,496,749	4,450,028
Capital expenditures																	58,155	57,972	48,427
Gross profits from reportable segments																	176,070	147,804	132,155
Other income (expense), net																	0	0	0
Reportable Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,410,481	2,316,040	2,190,552
Interest expense																	4,686	4,262	3,290
Depreciation and amortization																	113,807	111,227	108,806
Amortization of intangible assets																	23,824	24,122	23,559
Total assets	9,346,002								8,991,080								9,346,002	8,991,080	8,712,703
Capital expenditures																	102,139	103,247	83,189
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	0	0	0
Interest expense																	130,382	129,520	124,906
Depreciation and amortization																	6,420	6,820	7,585
Amortization of intangible assets																	29	1,469	1,638
Total assets	337,566								336,732								337,566	336,732	477,837
Capital expenditures																	13,489	15,128	14,710
Other income (expense), net																	3,668	(772)	3,009
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	2,410,481	2,316,040	2,190,552
Interest expense																	135,068	133,782	128,196
Depreciation and amortization																	120,227	118,047	116,391
Amortization of intangible assets																	23,853	25,591	25,197
Total assets	9,683,568								9,327,812								9,683,568	9,327,812	9,190,540
Capital expenditures																	$ 115,628	$ 118,375	$ 97,899

[1] Includes (Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net, as described in Note 20.