Supplementary Information Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash and cash equivalents:
Cash	$ 149,981	$ 177,338
Commercial paper and temporary investments	36,295	21,512
Cash and cash equivalents	186,276	198,850
Receivables, net:
Notes receivable	1,765	1,781
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	166	245
Other	19,304	17,058
Receivables, net	81,671	73,825
Other current assets:
Income tax receivable	5,905	8,333
Prepaid insurance	4,451	5,047
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current	54,293	7,007
Other Assets, Current	15,839	13,220
Other	80,488	33,607
Cemetery Property, Undeveloped Land	1,233,363	1,209,109
Cemetery Property, Developed	640,239	628,355
Cemetery property, at cost	1,873,602	1,837,464
Land	642,168	631,679
Buildings and Improvements, Gross	2,221,758	2,107,300
Machinery and Equipment, Gross	499,700	609,658
Leasehold Improvements, Gross	40,879	34,755
Capital Leased Assets, Gross	350,626	263,940
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross	3,755,131	3,647,332
Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment	(1,518,610)	(1,525,059)
Capital Leases, Lessee Balance Sheet, Assets by Major Class, Property, Plant, and Equipment Other, Accumulated Depreciation	(171,088)	(144,909)
Property and equipment, net	2,065,433	1,977,364
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	431,167	433,830
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent	2,051	1,727
Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent	665	673
Financing Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	6,623	8,651
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	10,814	10,946
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	58,101	0
Other Assets, Miscellaneous, Noncurrent	62,050	61,006
Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance	176,126	145,981
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
Other Liabilities	9,596	10,222
Accounts payable	174,494	173,361
Accrued compensation	99,396	90,303
Interest Payable, Current	15,390	25,976
Accrual for Taxes Other than Income Taxes, Current	16,402	18,512
Self Insurance Reserve, Current	84,290	80,114
Bank Overdrafts	16,694	16,221
Other liabilities	378,074	297,302
Operating Lease, Liability, Current	8,538	0
Other Accrued Liabilities, Current	63,341	75,281
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	478,545	479,768
Liability, Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Noncurrent	22,253	21,532
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent	152,119	126,891
Customer Funds	46,958	48,000
Tax liability	2,004	1,873
Payable to ECF	93,053	88,784
Deferred charges and other assets	1,029,908	934,151
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	52,091	0
Deferred incremental selling costs	293,125	282,283
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures Incurred but Not yet Paid	(4,435)	(2,597)	$ (223)
Funeral [Member]
Receivables, net:
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	39,471	39,709
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	1,412	1,845
Cemetery [Member]
Receivables, net:
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	$ 21,131	$ 15,277