Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	$ 461,074	$ 740,694
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(23,229)	(62,996)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	244,856	176,220
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(48,600)	(50,698)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	705,930	916,914
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	71,829	113,694
US Treasury Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	15,413	52,509
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(281)	(1,435)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	0	21
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	15,413	52,530
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	281	1,437
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 12 Months, Fair Value	0	1,190
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(34)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,192	841
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(66)	(65)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,192	2,031
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	66	99
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	0	1,764
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(22)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	736	2,347
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(34)	(96)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	736	4,111
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	34	118
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 12 Months, Fair Value		42
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value		18
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		60
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		3
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		198,755
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(26,038)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 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		220,110
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		32,037
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 12 Months, Fair Value	149,530
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(13,680)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	23,010
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(8,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	172,540
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	21,680
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		473
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(6)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 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		1,903
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		891
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 12 Months, Fair Value	408
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(82)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	38
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	446
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	84
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		15,560
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(2,507)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 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		24,972
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		5,799
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 12 Months, Fair Value	9,707
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(2,330)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	11,442
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2,899)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	21,149
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	5,229
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		207,253
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(25,991)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 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		293,973
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		49,642
Equity Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	125,728
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(4,728)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	146,332
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(24,875)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	272,060
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	29,603
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		139,684
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(6,323)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 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		184,234
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		18,527
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	26,566
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(446)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	45,337
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(9,408)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	71,903
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	9,854
Commingled Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	133,164	123,464
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1,681)	639
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	133,164	123,464
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	1,681	(639)
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 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, 12 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
Private Equity Funds [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	558
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	16,769
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(3,316)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	17,327
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	3,317
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	327,352	617,230
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	21,547	62,357
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	228,087	166,694
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	45,284	46,196
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	555,439	783,924
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(66,831)	(108,553)
Reported At Net Asset Value [Member] | Cemetery [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	133,722	123,464
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	1,682	639
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	16,769	9,526
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	3,316	4,502
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	150,491	132,990
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ (4,998)	$ (5,141)