Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net income	$ 277,181	$ 352,713
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	1,114	1,225
Depreciation and amortization	92,758	86,234
Amortization of intangibles	9,356	9,478
Amortization of cemetery property	48,036	47,327
Amortization of loan costs	3,408	3,526
Provision for expected credit losses	3,389	6,756
Provision for (benefit from) deferred income taxes	8,410	(3,723)
Share-based compensation	8,149	7,400
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets	(7,645)	(783)
Gain on Sale of Investments	0	(1,169)
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable	11,112	11,878
Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets	(36,303)	1,680
Increase (Decrease) in Operating Liabilities	31,266	8,582
Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:
Increase in preneed receivables, net and trust investments	(114,106)	(178,619)
Increase in deferred revenue, net	82,457	123,450
Increase in deferred receipts held in trust	7,593	14,094
Net cash provided by operating activities	363,643	472,885
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(177,007)	(152,445)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(39,424)	(2,000)
Payments for (Proceeds from) Deposits on Real Estate Acquisitions	(17,434)	(3,912)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment	20,547	6,968
Proceeds from Limited Partnership Investments	0	1,169
Payment to Acquire Life Insurance Policy, Investing Activities	(7,898)	(1,690)
Proceeds from Life Insurance Policy	10,119	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(211,097)	(151,910)
Cash flows from financing activities
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	7,471	0
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	573,433	143,000
Early payments and extinguishment of debt	(385,973)	(65,591)
Finance Lease, Principal Payments	17,126	17,920
Repayments of Unsecured Debt	(10,573)	(18,142)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	14,564	16,197
Purchase of Company common stock	(252,116)	(360,114)
Payments of dividends	(81,987)	(79,627)
Bank overdrafts and other	(14,350)	(5,759)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(181,599)	(387,956)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash, and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Continuing Operations	1,330	(1,897)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	(27,723)	(68,878)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	$ 176,801	$ 209,677