Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Statement - Equity Component [Domain] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 114,557	$ 73,172
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	390	38
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Discontinued Operations	0	(1,000)
Gains on early extinguishment of debt, net	0	29,158
Payments of Debt Extinguishment Costs	0	(24,804)
Depreciation and amortization	68,899	70,595
Amortization of intangible assets	15,983	19,346
Amortization of cemetery property	26,027	25,790
Amortization of loan costs	4,865	4,048
Provision for doubtful accounts	3,431	4,541
Provision for deferred income taxes	(8,466)	26,484
Losses (gains) on divestitures and impairment charges, net	7,361	(32,182)
Share-based compensation	7,284	6,423
Excess tax benefits from share based awards	(13,003)	(12,521)
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:
Decrease in receivables	2,276	(7,241)
Increase (decrease) in other assets	(761)	(22,351)
Decrease in payables and other liabilities	33,932	9,437
Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:
Decrease in preneed funeral receivables, net and trust investments	16,144	23,963
Decrease in deferred preneed funeral revenue	14,247	(11,965)
Decrease in deferred preneed funeral receipts held in trust	(37,366)	(22,550)
Effect of cemetery production and deliveries:
Increase in preneed cemetery receivables, net and trust investments	(28,272)	(31,736)
Increase in deferred preneed cemetery revenue	62,482	43,478
(Decrease) increase in deferred preneed cemetery receipts held in trust	(7,506)	(1,323)
Other	3	2,017
Net cash provided by operating activities	282,507	170,817
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	282,507	171,817
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(64,724)	(57,379)
Acquisitions	(36,726)	(7,575)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment, net	8,268	154,893
Other	8,066	(12,225)
Net cash used in investing activities	(84,129)	77,353
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities, Continuing Operations	(85,116)	77,714
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities, Discontinued Operations	987	(361)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	30,000	755,000
Debt Issuance Cost	0	(10,500)
Payments of debt	(30,121)	(135,371)
Early Repayment of Senior Debt	0	(762,782)
Principal payments on capital leases	(15,257)	(14,491)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	26,799	14,791
Excess tax benefits from share based awards	13,003	12,521
Purchase of Company common stock	(151,795)	(60,425)
Payments of dividends	(40,398)	(34,024)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	0	(15,000)
Bank overdrafts and other	(7,533)	115
Net cash used in financing activities	(175,302)	(250,166)
Change in cash from discontinued operations	0	1,323
Effect of foreign currency on cash and cash equivalents	(1,315)	(392)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	21,761	(1,065)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	177,335	141,580
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 199,096	$ 140,515