Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 548,240	$ 534,435
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(48,832)	(26,801)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	167,817	73,436
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(41,727)	(13,638)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	716,057	607,871
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(90,559)	(40,439)
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	37,008	32,243
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1,273)	(412)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	4,687	4,978
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(58)	(43)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	41,695	37,221
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1,331)	(455)
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	2,336	2,894
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(17)	(52)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	11,535	14,904
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(638)	(822)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	13,871	17,798
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(655)	(874)
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	4,644	4,988
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(156)	(56)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	4,025	2,420
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(128)	(70)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	8,669	7,408
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(284)	(126)
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	377	217
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(6)	(10)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	133	106
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(16)	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	510	323
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(22)	(12)
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	448	26
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(60)	(113)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	42	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(98)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	490	26
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(158)	(113)
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
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(11,706)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		585
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		192,600
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(11,706)
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	128,725	126,527
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(16,448)	(7,403)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	14,531	438
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2,701)	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	143,256	126,965
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(19,149)	(7,405)
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
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(319)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		778
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(522)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		2,847
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(841)
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	1,956	1,752
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(355)	(379)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,097	1,085
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(722)	(516)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	3,053	2,837
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1,077)	(895)
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
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(2,395)
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		28,308
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(2,395)
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	9,458	19,593
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1,638)	(1,557)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	6,151	2
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2,269)	(3)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	15,609	19,595
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(3,907)	(1,560)
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
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(18,329)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		1,577
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(101)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		304,788
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(18,430)
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	185,726	233,827
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(23,385)	(13,219)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	79,855	23,717
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(20,590)	(2,682)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	265,581	257,544
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(43,975)	(15,901)
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
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(4,106)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		15,113
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(596)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		174,685
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(4,702)
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	108,984	112,160
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(5,052)	(3,128)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	27,048	11,452
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(8,040)	(448)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	136,032	123,612
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(13,092)	(3,576)
Commingled 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	68,578
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(442)
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	68,578
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(442)
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
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(100)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		7,518
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(6,083)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		7,606
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(6,183)
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	0	203
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(461)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	18,713	13,870
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(6,467)	(8,957)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	18,713	14,073
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	$ (6,467)	(9,418)
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)