Cemetery Perpetual Care Trusts Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) - Cemetery Perpetual Care - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 1,343,187	$ 1,295,785
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	42,527	25,390
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(44,585)	(88,583)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,341,129	1,232,592
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,005,619	1,220,172
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	39,962	22,984
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(37,360)	(80,487)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,008,221	1,162,669
Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	337,568	75,613
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	2,565	2,406
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(7,225)	(8,096)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	332,908	69,923
Private Equity Funds | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	92,273	75,613
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	2,565	2,406
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(6,072)	(8,096)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	88,766	69,923
Fixed Income Commingled funds [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	245,295
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1,153)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	244,142
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | US Treasury Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	2,983	3,636
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0	20
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(30)	(81)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	2,953	3,575
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Foreign Government Debt Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	37,001	32,477
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	611	321
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(95)	(266)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	37,517	32,532
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Corporate Debt Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	6,388	12,694
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	128	149
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(124)	(284)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	6,392	12,559
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	352	934
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	1	13
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	0	(9)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	353	938
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Asset-backed Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	255	660
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	6	5
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(18)	(31)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	243	634
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Preferred Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,523	5,850
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	35	55
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(78)	(159)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,480	5,746
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | US Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	233,177	231,012
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	20,035	15,224
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(7,311)	(10,898)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	245,901	235,338
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Canada Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	4,856	5,648
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	2,654	2,112
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(172)	(606)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	7,338	7,154
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Other International Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	14,733	14,820
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	180	160
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1,402)	(2,390)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	13,511	12,590
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Equity Funds
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	20,125	21,783
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	4,244	3,138
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1,504)	(1,850)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	22,865	23,071
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Fixed Income Funds
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	683,595	890,013
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	10,815	530
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(26,624)	(63,913)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	667,786	826,630
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Other Investments
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	631	645
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	1,253	1,257
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(2)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 1,882	$ 1,902