Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 534,435	$ 293,702
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(26,801)	(12,519)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	73,436	115,135
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(13,638)	(30,144)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	607,871	408,837
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(40,439)	(42,663)
US Treasury Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	32,243	29,008
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(412)	(3,595)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	4,978	19,633
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(43)	(2,004)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	37,221	48,641
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(455)	(5,599)
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	2,894	9,545
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(52)	(120)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	14,904	18,981
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(822)	(993)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	17,798	28,526
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(874)	(1,113)
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	4,988	21,525
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(56)	(346)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2,420	5,665
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(70)	(345)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	7,408	27,190
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(126)	(691)
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	217	1,397
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(10)	(25)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	106	174
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2)	(8)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	323	1,571
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(12)	(33)
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		5,588
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(123)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		5,588
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(123)
Preferred Stock securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	26	14,182
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(113)	(235)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0	0
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	26	14,182
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(113)	(235)
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	192,015	46,189
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(11,706)	(2,648)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	585	3,480
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	(583)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	192,600	49,669
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(11,706)	(3,231)
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	126,527	47,054
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(7,403)	(2,153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	438	3,374
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2)	(775)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	126,965	50,428
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(7,405)	(2,928)
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	2,069	1,568
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(319)	(502)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	778	1,935
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(522)	(433)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	2,847	3,503
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(841)	(935)
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,752	2,439
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(379)	(576)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,085	1,992
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(516)	(641)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	2,837	4,431
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(895)	(1,217)
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	28,308	4,332
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(2,395)	(124)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0	700
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	(76)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	28,308	5,032
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(2,395)	(200)
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	19,593	3,433
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1,557)	(138)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2	375
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(3)	(60)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	19,595	3,808
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1,560)	(198)
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	303,211	3,847
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(18,329)	(54)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,577	14,430
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(101)	(1,650)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	304,788	18,277
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(18,430)	(1,704)
Equity Funds [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	233,827	16,383
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(13,219)	(337)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	23,717	12,638
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2,682)	(1,966)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	257,544	29,021
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(15,901)	(2,303)
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	159,572	134,294
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(4,106)	(5,527)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	15,113	63,800
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(596)	(28,122)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	174,685	198,094
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(4,702)	(33,649)
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	112,160	145,425
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(3,128)	(4,984)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	11,452	38,774
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(448)	(14,593)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	123,612	184,199
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(3,576)	(19,577)
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	88	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(100)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	7,518	6,589
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(6,083)	(5,153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	7,606	6,589
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(6,183)	(5,153)
Private Equity Funds [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	203	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(461)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	13,870	13,002
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(8,957)	(8,726)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	14,073	13,002
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(9,418)	(8,726)
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(3)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	259
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(68)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	261
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(71)
Other Investments [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	5
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(11)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	464
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(93)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	469
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	$ (104)