Cemetery Perpetual Care Trusts Long-term Receivable and Investment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Cemetery perpetual care trust investments	$ 1,342,589	$ 1,347,622
Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	117,839	268,219
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(2,873)	(4,478)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	50,432	71,742
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(10,698)	(11,136)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	168,271	339,961
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(13,571)	(15,614)
Trust investments, at market	1,373,613	1,352,539
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents	81,773	78,509
Assets of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Current	(112,797)	(83,426)
Cemetery perpetual care trust investments	1,342,589	1,347,622
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		2,835
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(10)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		15
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		2,850
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(11)
US Treasury Securities [Member] | Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,247	1,339
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(11)	(14)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2	20
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,249	1,359
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(11)	(14)
Private Equity Funds [Member] | Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	20,256	19,242
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(8,753)	(9,002)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	20,256	19,242
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(8,753)	(9,002)
Other Investments [Member]
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	279
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(6)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	279
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(6)
Other Investments [Member] | Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Long-term receivable and investment components [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	14	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(10)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	9,891	9,738
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	(84)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	9,905	9,738
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	$ (10)	$ (84)