Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 740,693	$ 732,387
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(62,997)	(37,625)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	176,220	32,624
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(50,697)	(7,559)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	916,913	765,011
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	113,694	45,184
US Treasury Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	52,533	45,072
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1,435)	(605)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	21	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	52,554	45,072
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	1,437	605
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	16,039	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(105)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	841	4,858
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(64)	(134)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	16,880	4,858
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	169	134
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,754	2,017
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(22)	(61)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2,347	1,936
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(96)	(55)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	4,101	3,953
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	118	116
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	42	33
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1)	(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	18	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	60	33
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	3	1
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, Accumulated Loss		11,706
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	198,843
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(26,038)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	21,355
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(5,999)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	220,198
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	32,037
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, Accumulated Loss		841
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	470
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(6)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,430
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(885)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,900
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	891
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, Accumulated Loss		2,395
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	15,567
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(2,507)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	9,412
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(3,292)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	24,979
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	5,799
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, Accumulated Loss		18,430
Equity Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	207,349
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(25,991)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	86,720
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(23,651)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	294,069
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	49,642
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, Accumulated Loss		4,702
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	139,749
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(6,322)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	44,550
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(12,204)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	184,299
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	18,526
Commingled Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	108,347
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(570)
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	108,347
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	570
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, Accumulated Loss		6,183
Private Equity Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	9,526
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(4,502)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	9,526
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ 4,502
Other Investments [Member] | Cemetery [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, Accumulated Loss		$ 71