Segment Reporting Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																7 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2017		Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 820,814		$ 778,786		$ 796,092		$ 794,482		$ 812,733		$ 731,346		$ 773,242		$ 777,710		$ 17,900	$ 3,190,174	$ 3,095,031	$ 3,031,137
Interest expense																		(181,556)	(169,125)	(162,093)
Depreciation and amortization																		153,650	153,141	147,233
Depreciation and amortization																		153,650	153,141	147,233
Amortization of intangibles																		26,195	27,650	30,956
Amortization of cemetery property																		68,640	68,102	66,745
Total assets	12,693,243								12,864,503								12,693,243	12,693,243	12,864,503
Capital expenditures																		235,545	214,501	193,446
Gross profits from reportable segments	210,263		166,170		188,127		195,762		212,246		149,776		183,518		177,239			760,322	722,779	676,850
General and administrative expenses																		(145,499)	(153,067)	(136,708)
Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net																		15,933	7,015	(26,819)
Unusual or Infrequent Item, or Both, Net of Insurance Proceeds																		97	(5,584)	0
Operating income	172,710		132,303		161,954		163,692		177,999		109,351		143,902		139,891			630,659	571,143	513,323
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net																		(10,131)	(274)	(22,503)
Other income (expense), net																		2,760	(1,486)	(2,069)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	126,012	[1]	$ 86,036	[1]	$ 119,315	[1]	$ 110,369	[1]	133,636	[1]	$ 66,578	[1]	$ 101,518	[1]	$ 98,526	[1]		$ 441,732	$ 400,258	326,658
Long-lived assets																		6612821	6072198
UNITED STATES
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		$ 2,991,617	$ 2,889,463	2,848,876
Interest expense																		(181,266)	(168,956)	(162,341)
Depreciation and amortization																		144,877	143,932	138,560
Amortization of intangibles																		25,664	27,092	30,427
Amortization of cemetery property																		63,709	61,307	61,449
Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net																		8,419	61	(27,658)
Operating income																		$ 568,446	$ 502,865	461,825
Long-lived assets																		6334924	5786063
CANADA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		$ 198,557	$ 205,568	182,261
Interest expense																		(290)	(169)	(248)
Depreciation and amortization																		8,773	9,209	8,673
Amortization of intangibles																		531	558	529
Amortization of cemetery property																		4,931	6,795	5,296
Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net																		7,514	6,954	839
Operating income																		$ 62,213	$ 68,278	51,498
Long-lived assets																		277897	286135
Funeral [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		$ 1,897,992	$ 1,868,152	1,869,111
Interest expense																		(3,634)	(3,986)	(3,906)
Depreciation and amortization																		108,891	109,965	106,602
Amortization of intangibles																		17,515	17,871	20,444
Amortization of cemetery property																		0	0	0
Total assets	5,411,178								5,393,205								5,411,178	5,411,178	5,393,205
Capital expenditures																		99,008	83,241	68,666
Gross profits from reportable segments																		369,613	371,853	361,022
Cemetery [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		1,292,182	1,226,879	1,162,026
Interest expense																		(469)	(401)	(105)
Depreciation and amortization																		33,183	32,815	31,081
Amortization of intangibles																		8,619	9,696	10,438
Amortization of cemetery property																		68,640	68,102	66,745
Total assets	6,913,132								6,946,351								6,913,132	6,913,132	6,946,351
Capital expenditures																		125,131	118,699	113,163
Gross profits from reportable segments																		390,709	350,926	315,828
Corporate Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest expense																		(177,453)	(164,738)	(158,082)
Depreciation and amortization																		11,576	10,361	9,550
Amortization of intangibles																		61	83	74
Amortization of cemetery property																		0	0	0
Total assets	368,933								524,947								368,933	368,933	524,947
Capital expenditures																		11,406	12,561	11,617
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Interest expense																			(169,125)	(162,093)
Depreciation and amortization																		153,650	153,141	147,233
Amortization of intangibles																		26,195	27,650	30,956
Amortization of cemetery property																		68,640	68,102	66,745
Total assets	$ 12,693,243								$ 12,864,503								$ 12,693,243	12,693,243	12,864,503
Capital expenditures																		235,545	214,501	193,446
Funeral Atneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		998,464	1,011,214	1,045,533
Funeral Matured Preneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		600,944	574,235	538,013
Funeral Core Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		1,599,408	1,585,449	1,583,546
Non-funeral Home Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		49,671	46,513	42,957
Funeral Recognized Preneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		125,144	117,352	111,640
Funeral Other Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		123,769	118,838	130,968
Cemetery Atneed Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		323,162	319,899	307,826
Cemetery Recognized Preneed Property Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		572,955	538,314	515,854
Cemetery Recognized Preneed Merchandise And Service Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		288,282	274,885	240,301
Cemetery Core Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		1,184,399	1,133,098	1,063,981
Cemetery Other Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues																		$ 107,783	$ 93,781	$ 98,045

[1] Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net, as described in Note 15.