Supplementary Information Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash	$ 177,338	$ 260,281
Commercial paper and temporary investments	21,512	69,758
Cash and cash equivalents	198,850	330,039
Receivables, net:
Notes receivable	1,781	1,605
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Current	166	245
Other	17,058	27,607
Receivables, net	73,825	90,304
Other current assets:
Income tax receivable	8,333	8,576
Prepaid insurance	5,047	4,419
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current	7,007	8,625
Other Assets, Current	13,220	13,955
Other	33,607	35,575
Cemetery Property, Undeveloped Land	1,209,109	1,181,920
Cemetery Property, Developed	628,355	610,069
Cemetery property, at cost	1,837,464	1,791,989
Land	631,679	605,735
Buildings and Improvements, Gross	2,107,300	1,996,123
Machinery and Equipment, Gross	609,658	557,278
Leasehold Improvements, Gross	34,755	34,607
Capital Leased Assets, Gross	263,940	254,260
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	3,647,332	3,448,003
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment	(1,525,059)	(1,430,695)
Capital Leases, Lessee Balance Sheet, Assets by Major Class, Property, Plant, and Equipment Other, Accumulated Depreciation	(144,909)	(144,264)
Property and equipment, net	1,977,364	1,873,044
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	433,830	374,099
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent	1,727	1,937
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	673	873
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Net, Noncurrent	8,651	9,624
Allowance for Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Noncurrent	10,814	10,946
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	61,006	75,157
Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance	145,981	139,494
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
Accounts payable	173,361	173,685
Accrued compensation	90,303	95,233
Interest Payable, Current	25,976	30,415
Accrual for Taxes Other than Income Taxes, Current	18,512	10,541
Self Insurance Reserve, Current	80,114	78,227
Bank Overdrafts	16,221	27,243
Other Accrued Liabilities, Current	75,281	73,828
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	479,768	489,172
Liability, Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Noncurrent	21,532	25,416
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	126,891	120,782
Customer Funds	48,000	51,767
Tax liability	1,873	111,000
Payable to ECF	88,784	83,015
Other Assets, Noncurrent	10,222	19,002
Deferred charges and other assets	934,151	601,184
Other liabilities	297,302	410,982
Deferred incremental selling costs	282,283	0
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures Incurred but Not yet Paid	2,597	223	$ 1,435
Capital Lease Obligations Incurred	58,664	54,087	$ 41,609
Funeral [Member]
Receivables, net:
Accounts Receivable, Net, Current	39,709	44,536
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Current	1,412	1,845
Cemetery [Member]
Receivables, net:
Accounts Receivable, Net, Current	$ 15,277	$ 16,556