Deferred Preneed Funeral and Cemetery Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trusts' Corpus Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Components of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	$ 2,977,612	$ 3,155,528
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(4,226)	(6,644)
Deferred preneed receipts held in trust	2,973,386	3,148,884
Care trusts’ corpus	1,319,564	1,327,658
Total other income, net	(113)	1,780		$ (558)
Operating Segments [Member]
Components of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	100,477	574,333		184,264
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(79,203)	(303,314)		(27,063)
Impairment charges	(9,676)	(109,958)		(2,596)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	109,294	92,391		86,708
Trust expenses and income taxes	(85,967)	(74,666)		(42,449)
Net trust investment income	34,925	178,786		198,864
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(34,925)	(178,786)		(198,864)
Other income, net	(113)	1,780		(558)
Total other income, net	(113)	1,780		(558)
Funeral [Member]
Components of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,515,113	1,628,875
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(1,381)	(2,487)
Deferred preneed receipts held in trust	1,513,732	1,626,388
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	42,034	168,567	[1]	65,011
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(31,403)	(113,748)	[1]	(9,732)
Impairment charges	(3,519)	(41,846)		(829)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	25,952	22,668		24,912
Trust expenses and income taxes	(21,852)	(19,590)		(11,371)
Net trust investment income	11,212	16,051		67,991
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(11,212)	(16,051)		(67,991)
Other income, net	0	0		0
Total other income, net	0	0		0
Cemetery [Member]
Components of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust, excluding accrued expenses	1,462,499	1,526,653
Accrued trust operating payables and other	(2,845)	(4,157)
Deferred preneed receipts held in trust	1,459,654	1,522,496
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	51,510	271,507		101,337
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(40,092)	(138,473)		(14,593)
Impairment charges	(4,345)	(60,040)		(1,575)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	27,089	17,597		20,527
Trust expenses and income taxes	(31,472)	(20,833)		(14,633)
Net trust investment income	2,690	69,758		91,063
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(2,690)	(69,758)		(91,063)
Other income, net	0	0		0
Total other income, net	0	0		0
Cemetery Perpetual Care [Member]
Components of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Accrued trust operating payables and other	137	(13,718)
Care trusts' corpus, excluding accrued expenses	1,319,427	1,341,376
Care trusts’ corpus	1,319,564	1,327,658
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	6,933	134,259	[1]	17,916
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	(7,708)	(51,093)	[1]	(2,738)
Impairment charges	(1,812)	(8,072)		(192)
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	56,253	52,126		41,269
Trust expenses and income taxes	(32,643)	(34,243)		(16,445)
Net trust investment income	21,023	92,977		39,810
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	(21,023)	(92,977)		(39,810)
Other income, net	0	0		0
Total other income, net	0	0		0
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Components of Other Income, Nonoperating [Line Items]
Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0		0
Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities	0	0		0
Impairment charges	0	0		0
Interest, dividend, and other ordinary income	0	0		0
Trust expenses and income taxes	0	0		0
Net trust investment income	0	0		0
Investment Income, Nonoperating, Effect on Deferred Preneed Receipts Held in Trust and Care Trust Corpus'	0	0		0
Other income, net	(113)	1,780		(558)
Total other income, net	$ (113)	$ 1,780		$ (558)

[1] (1)The increase in activity in 2014 is the result of changing the legal structure of the trust investments.