Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Textuals (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Required percentage of sales price	0.00%
Amortization of cemetery property	$ 48,344	$ 44,976	$ 40,046
Depreciation	122,602	120,227	118,047
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, Low End of the Range	1.20%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, High End of the Range	7.10%
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	8.50%
Intangible Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Savings Rate	0.040
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	8.70%
Retirement of treasury shares	0	0	0
Funeral [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property	0	0	0
Depreciation	92,879	91,035	89,872
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.50%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.50%
Cemetery [Member]
Amortization of cemetery property	48,344	44,976	40,046
Depreciation	$ 23,460	$ 22,773	$ 21,355
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.90%
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate	2.90%
Treasury Stock [Member]
Retirement of treasury shares	278	17,167	19,174
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	20 years