Deferred Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trusts' Corpus (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	$ 3,241,727		$ 3,241,727		$ 3,248,511
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(7,653)		(7,653)		(2,806)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	3,234,074		3,234,074		3,245,705
Care trusts’ corpus	1,380,096		1,380,096		1,338,181
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	66,604	37,789	159,672	121,710
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(7,468)	(6,632)	(18,396)	(22,615)
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net	(108,580)	(375)	(109,515)	(2,507)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	10,024	11,013	52,945	51,353
Trust expenses and income taxes	(13,920)	(6,490)	(36,231)	(19,868)
Net trust investment income	(53,340)	35,305	48,475	128,073
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	53,340	(35,305)	(48,475)	(128,073)
Other income, net	(9)	667	1,577	(1,013)
Total other income, net	(9)	667	1,577	(1,013)
Funeral
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,664,248		1,664,248		1,683,988
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(3,545)		(3,545)		(1,108)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,660,703		1,660,703		1,682,880
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	18,935	12,953	50,947	41,654
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(2,094)	(2,212)	(6,233)	(8,378)
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net	(41,244)	(157)	(41,614)	(803)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	1,849	2,470	15,323	18,493
Trust expenses and income taxes	(6,748)	(2,705)	(16,193)	(7,743)
Net trust investment income	(29,302)	10,349	2,230	43,223
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	29,302	(10,349)	(2,230)	(43,223)
Other income, net	0	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0	0
Cemetery
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses					1,564,523
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(4,108)		(4,108)		(1,698)
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust	1,573,371		1,573,371		1,562,825
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	40,635	19,965	86,822	66,284
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(4,439)	(3,454)	(10,564)	(12,509)
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net	(59,311)	(218)	(59,829)	(1,515)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	2,681	3,171	10,157	13,615
Trust expenses and income taxes	(6,541)	(3,512)	(15,733)	(10,268)
Net trust investment income	(26,975)	15,952	10,853	55,607
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	26,975	(15,952)	(10,853)	(55,607)
Other income, net	0	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0	0
Cemetery Perpetual Care
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(1,453)		(1,453)		(1,661)
Care trusts' corpus, excluding accrued expenses	1,381,549		1,381,549		1,339,842
Care trusts’ corpus	1,380,096		1,380,096		1,338,181
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	7,034	4,871	21,903	13,772
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(935)	(966)	(1,599)	(1,728)
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net	(8,025)	0	(8,072)	(189)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	5,494	5,372	27,465	19,245
Trust expenses and income taxes	(631)	(273)	(4,305)	(1,857)
Net trust investment income	2,937	9,004	35,392	29,243
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(2,937)	(9,004)	(35,392)	(29,243)
Other income, net	0	0	0	0
Total other income, net	0	0	0	0
Intersegment Eliminations
Component of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0	0	0
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0	0	0
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net	0	0	0	0
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	0	0	0	0
Trust expenses and income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net trust investment income	0	0	0	0
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	0	0	0	0
Other income, net	(9)	667	1,577	(1,013)
Total other income, net	$ (9)	$ 667	$ 1,577	$ (1,013)