Divestiture-Related Activities (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Divestiture-Related Activities [Abstract]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal	$ 26,889,000	$ 981,000	$ 64,753,000	$ (3,619,000)
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Loss (Gain) on Write-down	(319,000)	0	(6,001,000)	(1,914,000)
Losses (gains) on divestitures and impairment charges, net	26,570,000	981,000	58,752,000	(5,533,000)
Disposal Group, Held for Sale, Assets, Current	436,000		436,000		4,569,000
Preneed funeral and cemetery receivables and trust investments, held for sale	84,484,000		84,484,000		346,241,000
Cemetery property, held for sale	9,158,000		9,158,000		88,131,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Property, Plant and Equipment	10,013,000		10,013,000		67,394,000
Goodwill, held for sale	10,899,000		10,899,000		206,117,000
Deferred charges and other assets, held for sale	200,000		200,000		32,989,000
Cemetery perpetual care trust investments, held for sale	22,143,000		22,143,000		86,726,000
Assets Held-for-sale, at Carrying Value	137,333,000		137,333,000		832,167,000
Liabilities of Assets Held-for-sale, Current	441,000		441,000		3,183,000
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery revenues and deferred receipts held in trusts, held for sale	119,120,000		119,120,000		427,436,000
Care trusts' corpus, held for sale	22,143,000		22,143,000		86,726,000
Other long-term liabilities, held for sale	227,000		227,000		4,209,000
Total liabilities, held for sale	141,931,000		141,931,000		521,554,000
Net assets held for sale	(4,598,000)		(4,598,000)		310,613,000
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses	5,600,000
Assets Held-for-sale, Property, Plant and Equipment					116,000
Deferred charges and other assets, held for sale					2,375,000
Assets Held-for-sale, at Carrying Value					7,241,000
Liabilities of Assets Held-for-sale, Current	0		0		4,728,000
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery revenues and deferred receipts held in trusts, held for sale					938,000
Other long-term liabilities, held for sale					30,000
Total liabilities, held for sale					5,696,000
Net assets of discontinued operations					1,545,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Revenue	0	1,361,000	1,614,000	4,569,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Costs and Expenses	0	(1,111,000)	1,560,000	3,934,000
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business	884,000	0	884,000	0
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Expense	0	(1,000)	(2,000)	(4,000)
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation, before Income Tax	884,000	249,000	936,000	631,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Provision for Income Tax	0	(81,000)	(90,000)	(190,000)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (884,000)	$ (168,000)	$ 846,000	$ 441,000