Segment Reporting Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2017		Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 3,095,031	$ 3,031,137	$ 2,986,041
Interest expense																	(169,125)	(162,093)	(172,897)
Depreciation and amortization																	153,141	147,233	141,456
Depreciation and amortization																	153,141	147,233	141,456
Amortization of intangibles																	27,650	30,956	31,459
Amortization of cemetery property																	68,102	66,745	62,407
Total assets	$ 12,864,503								$ 12,038,149								12,864,503	12,038,149
Capital expenditures																	214,501	193,446	150,986
Gross profits from reportable segments	211,877		$ 149,702		$ 183,445		$ 177,165		210,777		$ 140,745		$ 161,989		$ 162,923		722,189	676,434	674,589
General and administrative expenses																	(154,423)	(137,730)	(130,813)
Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	7,015	(26,819)	6,522
Operating income	176,937		109,056		143,608		139,596		179,329		114,386		94,498		123,672		569,197	511,885	550,298
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net																	(274)	(22,503)	(6,918)
Other income (expense), net																	460	(631)	(132)
Income before income taxes	133,636	[1]	$ 66,578	[1]	$ 101,518	[1]	$ 98,526	[1]	139,289	[1]	$ 74,963	[1]	$ 32,639	[1]	$ 79,767	[1]	$ 400,258	$ 326,658	370,351
Long-lived assets																	6072198	5971123
UNITED STATES
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 2,889,463	$ 2,848,876	2,805,407
Interest expense																	(168,956)	(162,341)	(172,697)
Depreciation and amortization																	143,932	138,560	132,393
Amortization of intangibles																	27,092	30,427	30,856
Amortization of cemetery property																	61,307	61,449	58,429
Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	61	(27,658)	1,778
Operating income																	$ 500,919	$ 460,387	498,634
Long-lived assets																	5786063	5705070
CANADA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	$ 205,568	$ 182,261	180,634
Interest expense																	(169)	(248)	(200)
Depreciation and amortization																	9,209	8,673	9,063
Amortization of intangibles																	558	529	603
Amortization of cemetery property																	6,795	5,296	3,978
Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net																	6,954	839	4,744
Operating income																	$ 68,278	$ 51,498	51,664
Long-lived assets																	286135	266053
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization																	$ 153,141
Amortization of intangibles																	27,650
Amortization of cemetery property																	68,102
Total assets	12,864,503																12,864,503
Capital expenditures																	214,501
Gross profits from reportable segments																	722,189
Funeral [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	1,868,152	$ 1,869,111	1,889,055
Interest expense																	(3,986)	(3,906)	(4,230)
Depreciation and amortization																	109,965	106,602	103,272
Amortization of intangibles																	17,871	20,444	22,638
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	5,393,205								5,158,700								5,393,205	5,158,700
Capital expenditures																	83,241	68,666	53,422
Gross profits from reportable segments																	371,853	361,022	390,101
Cemetery [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	1,226,879	1,162,026	1,096,986
Interest expense																	(401)	(105)	(450)
Depreciation and amortization																	32,815	31,081	29,448
Amortization of intangibles																	9,696	10,438	8,746
Amortization of cemetery property																	68,102	66,745	62,407
Total assets	6,946,351								6,481,761								6,946,351	6,481,761
Capital expenditures																	118,699	113,163	83,803
Gross profits from reportable segments																	350,336	315,412	284,488
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																	0	0	0
Interest expense																	(164,738)	(158,082)	(168,217)
Depreciation and amortization																	10,361	9,550	8,736
Amortization of intangibles																	83	74	75
Amortization of cemetery property																	0	0	0
Total assets	$ 524,947								397,688								524,947	397,688
Capital expenditures																	12,561	11,617	13,761
Gross profits from reportable segments																	$ 0	0	0
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers																		3,031,137	2,986,041
Interest expense																		(162,093)	(172,897)
Depreciation and amortization																		147,233	141,456
Amortization of intangibles																		30,956	31,459
Amortization of cemetery property																		66,745	62,407
Total assets									$ 12,038,149									12,038,149
Capital expenditures																		193,446	150,986
Gross profits from reportable segments																		$ 676,434	$ 674,589

[1] Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net, as described in Note 16.