Segment Reporting Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 3,031,137	$ 2,986,041	$ 2,994,011
Interest expense																	(162,093)	(172,897)	(177,571)
Depreciation and amortization																	147,233	141,456	140,002
Depreciation and amortization																	147,233	141,456	140,002
Amortization of intangible assets																	30,956	31,459	36,640
Amortization of cemetery property																	66,745	62,407	60,439
Total assets	$ 12,038,149								$ 11,676,397								12,038,149	11,676,397
Capital expenditures																	193,446	150,986	144,499
Gross profits from reportable segments	210,777		$ 140,745		$ 161,989		$ 162,923		187,802		$ 141,679		$ 166,767		$ 178,341		676,434	674,589	675,685
General and administrative expenses																	(137,730)	(130,813)	(184,749)
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	(26,819)	6,522	116,613
Operating income	179,329		114,386		94,498		123,672		157,055		124,548		127,580		141,115		511,885	550,298	607,549
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net																	(22,503)	(6,918)	(29,158)
Other (expense) income, net																	(631)	(132)	1,780
Income before income taxes	139,289	[1]	$ 74,963	[1]	$ 32,639	[1]	$ 79,767	[1]	113,699	[1]	$ 74,045	[1]	$ 84,489	[1]	$ 98,118	[1]	$ 326,658	$ 370,351	402,600
Long-lived assets																	5971123	5978455
UNITED STATES
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 2,848,876	$ 2,805,407	2,792,009
Interest expense																	(162,341)	(172,697)	(177,245)
Depreciation and amortization																	138,560	132,393	129,510
Amortization of intangible assets																	30,427	30,856	35,895
Amortization of cemetery property																	61,449	58,429	55,679
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	(27,658)	1,778	116,046
Operating income																	$ 460,387	$ 498,634	557,608
Long-lived assets																	5705070	5729721
CANADA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 182,261	$ 180,634	202,002
Interest expense																	(248)	(200)	(326)
Depreciation and amortization																	8,673	9,063	10,492
Amortization of intangible assets																	529	603	745
Amortization of cemetery property																	5,296	3,978	4,760
(Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	839	4,744	567
Operating income																	$ 51,498	$ 51,664	49,941
Long-lived assets																	266053	248734
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization																	$ 147,233
Amortization of intangible assets																	30,956
Amortization of cemetery property																	66,745
Total assets	12,038,149																12,038,149
Capital expenditures																	193,446
Gross profits from reportable segments																	676,434
Other (expense) income, net																	(631)	$ (132)	1,780
Funeral [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	1,868,883	1,888,828	1,920,475
Interest expense																	(3,910)	(4,230)	(4,714)
Depreciation and amortization																	106,251	102,937	101,801
Amortization of intangible assets																	20,442	22,636	24,841
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	5,156,144								5,141,544								5,156,144	5,141,544
Capital expenditures																	68,434	52,880	52,610
Gross profits from reportable segments																	364,237	393,156	409,701
Other (expense) income, net																	0	0	0
Cemetery [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	1,162,254	1,097,213	1,073,536
Interest expense																	(101)	(450)	(510)
Depreciation and amortization																	31,432	29,783	28,745
Amortization of intangible assets																	10,440	8,748	11,700
Amortization of cemetery property																	66,745	62,407	60,439
Total assets	6,484,317								6,181,877								6,484,317	6,181,877
Capital expenditures																	113,395	84,345	78,588
Gross profits from reportable segments																	312,197	281,433	265,984
Other (expense) income, net																	0	0	0
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	0	0	0
Interest expense																	(158,082)	(168,217)	(172,347)
Depreciation and amortization																	9,550	8,736	9,456
Amortization of intangible assets																	74	75	99
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	$ 397,688								352,976								397,688	352,976
Capital expenditures																	11,617	13,761	13,301
Gross profits from reportable segments																	0	0	0
Other (expense) income, net																	$ (631)	(132)	1,780
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																		2,986,041	2,994,011
Interest expense																		(172,897)	(177,571)
Depreciation and amortization																		141,456	140,002
Amortization of intangible assets																		31,459	36,640
Amortization of cemetery property																		62,407	60,439
Total assets									$ 11,676,397									11,676,397
Capital expenditures																		150,986	144,499
Gross profits from reportable segments																		$ 674,589	$ 675,685

[1] Includes (Losses) gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net, as described in Note 19.