Preneed Activities Preneed Activities Receivables Net and Trust Invesments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Investments	$ 4,586,688		$ 5,523,479
Accounts Receivable, before Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	968,213		988,374
Beginning balance — Preneed funeral receivables and trust investments	4,789,562
Deposits to trust	105,553	$ 100,452
Ending balance — Preneed funeral receivables and trust investments	4,122,025
Cemetery perpetual care trust investments	1,417,652		1,681,149
Deferred Discounts, Finance Charges and Interest Included in Receivables	(48,384)		(50,570)
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	952,989		947,232
Preneed Accounts Receivable Gross	1,016,597		1,038,944
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, Premiums and Other Receivables			41,142
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	(15,224)		(14,757)
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated in Current Fiscal Year	90,303
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated in Fiscal Year before Latest Fiscal Year	367,096
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Two Years before Latest Fiscal Year	230,669
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Three Years before Latest Fiscal Year	144,103
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Four Years before Latest Fiscal Year	76,390
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Five or More Years before Latest Fiscal Year	59,652
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Not Past Due	884,527
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	83,686
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward]
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff	1,128
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease)	(1,644)
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Acquisitions	4
Effect of Foreign Exchange on Allowance for Credit Loss	45
Financial Asset, 1 to 29 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	37,593
Financing Receivables 30 To 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	20,140
Financing Receivables 91 To180 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	8,476
Financing Receivables, Equal to Greater than 180 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	17,477
Funeral [Member]
Accounts Receivable, before Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	117,813		114,643
Deferred Discounts, Finance Charges and Interest Included in Receivables	(16,643)		16,328
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	109,381		113,191
Preneed Accounts Receivable Gross	134,456		130,971
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, Premiums and Other Receivables			1,452
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	(8,432)		(8,057)
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated in Current Fiscal Year	17,961
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated in Fiscal Year before Latest Fiscal Year	52,966
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Two Years before Latest Fiscal Year	21,401
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Three Years before Latest Fiscal Year	10,957
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Four Years before Latest Fiscal Year	4,200
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Five or More Years before Latest Fiscal Year	10,328
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Not Past Due	98,134
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	19,679
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward]
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff	1,019
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease)	(1,423)
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Acquisitions	4
Effect of Foreign Exchange on Allowance for Credit Loss	25
Funeral [Member] | Financial Asset, 1 to 29 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	3,537
Funeral [Member] | Financing Receivables 30 To 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	1,828
Funeral [Member] | Financing Receivables 91 To180 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	1,321
Funeral [Member] | Financing Receivables, Equal to Greater than 180 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	12,993
Cemetery [Member]
Accounts Receivable, before Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	850,400		873,731
Deferred Discounts, Finance Charges and Interest Included in Receivables	(31,741)		34,242
Accounts Receivable, after Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	843,608		834,041
Preneed Accounts Receivable Gross	882,141		907,973
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, Premiums and Other Receivables			(39,690)
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Noncurrent	(6,792)		$ (6,700)
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated in Current Fiscal Year	72,342
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated in Fiscal Year before Latest Fiscal Year	314,130
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Two Years before Latest Fiscal Year	209,268
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Three Years before Latest Fiscal Year	133,146
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Four Years before Latest Fiscal Year	72,190
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Originated Five or More Years before Latest Fiscal Year	49,324
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Not Past Due	786,393
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	64,007
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward]
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff	109
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Period Increase (Decrease)	(221)
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Acquisitions	0
Effect of Foreign Exchange on Allowance for Credit Loss	20
Cemetery [Member] | Financial Asset, 1 to 29 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	34,056
Cemetery [Member] | Financing Receivables 30 To 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	18,312
Cemetery [Member] | Financing Receivables 91 To180 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	7,155
Cemetery [Member] | Financing Receivables, Equal to Greater than 180 Days Past Due [Member]
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent, Past Due	$ 4,484