Preneed Cemetery Activities Level 3 (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Preneed Cemetery Receivables, Net and Trust Investments [Line Items]  
Preneed Cemetery Receivables, Net and Trust Investments [Table Text Block]
The activity in Preneed cemetery receivables, net and trust investments for the years ended December 31 was as follows:
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
 
 
(In thousands)
 
 
Beginning balance — Preneed cemetery receivables and trust investments
$
1,563,893

 
$
1,382,717

 
$
1,062,952

Net preneed contract sales
468,850

 
423,985

 
408,328

(Dispositions) acquisitions of businesses, net
(5,500
)
 
5,508

 
7,749

Net undistributed investment (losses) earnings (1)
(24,407
)
 
121,225

 
271,804

Cash receipts from customers, net of refunds
(403,524
)
 
(373,071
)
 
(351,459
)
Deposits to trust
98,121

 
96,864

 
92,687

Maturities, deliveries, and associated earnings
(109,382
)
 
(100,474
)
 
(104,580
)
Change in cancellation allowance
(759
)
 
(3,764
)
 
(10,141
)
Effect of foreign currency and other
8,648

 
10,903

 
5,377

Ending balance — Preneed cemetery receivables and trust investments
$
1,595,940

 
$
1,563,893

 
$
1,382,717

_________________________________
(1)
Includes both realized and unrealized investment earnings (losses).
Deferred Preneed Cemetery Revenues [Table Text Block]
The following table summarizes the activity in Deferred preneed cemetery revenues for the years ended December 31:
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
(In thousands)
Beginning balance — Deferred preneed cemetery revenues
$
813,493

 
$
817,543

 
$
771,117

Net preneed and atneed deferred sales
363,523

 
349,786

 
342,984

(Dispositions) acquisitions of businesses, net
(10,861
)
 
1,090

 
5,461

Net investment (losses) earnings(1)
(26,431
)
 
117,331

 
242,483

Recognized deferred preneed revenues
(350,356
)
 
(347,996
)
 
(325,036
)
Change in cancellation allowance
802

 
(2,457
)
 
10,855

Change in deferred preneed cemetery receipts held in trust
37,173

 
(125,974
)
 
(235,031
)
Effect of foreign currency and other
5,960

 
4,170

 
4,710

Ending balance — Deferred preneed cemetery revenues
$
833,303

 
$
813,493

 
$
817,543

_________________________________
(1)
Includes both realized and unrealized investment earnings (losses).
Cemetery [Member]
  
Preneed Cemetery Receivables, Net and Trust Investments [Line Items]  
Investment related activities [Table Text Block]
The table below sets forth certain investment-related activities associated with our preneed cemetery merchandise and service trusts for the years ended December 31:
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
 
 
(In thousands)
 
 
Deposits
$
98,121

 
$
96,864

 
$
92,687

Withdrawals
109,382

 
100,474

 
104,580

Purchases of available-for-sale securities
595,683

 
638,368

 
625,248

Sales of available-for-sale securities
525,534

 
592,813

 
593,133

Realized gains from sales of available-for-sale securities
67,167

 
43,413

 
44,972

Realized losses from sales of available-for-sale securities
(46,889
)
 
(51,771
)
 
(75,254
)
Long-term receivable and investment components [Table Text Block]
The components of Preneed cemetery receivables, net and trust investments in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31 were as follows:
 
2011
 
2010
 
(In thousands)
Trust investments, at market
$
1,051,464

 
$
1,062,771

Cash and cash equivalents
104,554

 
122,866

Insurance-backed fixed income securities
5

 
9,158

Trust investments
1,156,023

 
1,194,795

Receivables from customers
517,917

 
452,296

Unearned finance charges
(33,766
)
 
(39,205
)
 
1,640,174

 
1,607,886

Allowance for cancellation
(44,234
)
 
(43,993
)
Preneed cemetery receivables and trust investments
$
1,595,940

 
$
1,563,893
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities Reconciliation [Table Text Block]
he
Schedule of Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]
The inputs into the fair value of our market-based cemetery merchandise and service trust investments are categorized as follows:
 
Quoted Market
Prices in Active
Markets
(Level 1)
 
Significant Other
Observable Inputs
(Level 2)
 
Significant
Unobservable Inputs
(Level 3)
 
Fair Market Value
 
 
 
(In thousands)
 
 
Trust investments at December 31, 2011
$
914,513

 
$
121,296

 
$
15,655

 
$
1,051,464

Trust investments at December 31, 2010
$
932,782

 
$
123,738

 
$
6,251

 
$
1,062,771
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Table Text Block]
The change in our market-based cemetery merchandise and service trust investments with significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) is as follows for the years ended December 31 (in thousands):
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
Fair market value, beginning balance at January 1,
$
6,251

 
$
4,341

 
$
31,837

Net unrealized gains (losses) included in Accumulated other comprehensive income(1)
286

 
(4,304
)
 
(14,039
)
Net realized losses included in Other (expense) income, net(2)
(101
)
 
(529
)
 
(27
)
Sales
—

 
(48
)
 
—

Contributions
10,795

 
7,508

 
2,672

Distributions and other
(1,576
)
 
(717
)
 
(510
)
Transfers out of Level 3
—

 
—

 
(15,592
)
Fair market value, ending balance at December 31
$
15,655

 
$
6,251

 
$
4,341

_________________________________
(1)
All unrealized gains (losses) recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income for our cemetery merchandise and service trust investments are attributable to our preneed customers and are offset by a corresponding reclassification in Accumulated other comprehensive income to Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust. See Note 7 for further information related to our Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust.
(2)
All losses recognized in Other (expense) income, net for our cemetery merchandise and service trust investments are attributable to our preneed customers and are offset by a corresponding reclassification in Other (expense) income, net to Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust. See Note 7 for further information related to our Deferred preneed funeral and cemetery receipts held in trust.
Investments Classified by Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]
Maturity dates of our fixed income securities range from 2011 to 2041. Maturities of fixed income securities (excluding mutual funds) at December 31, 2011 are estimated as follows:
 
Fair Market Value
 
(In thousands)
Due in one year or less
$
9,841

Due in one to five years
45,470

Due in five to ten years
34,622

Thereafter
28,182

 
$
118,115
Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments [Table Text Block]
Our cemetery merchandise and service trust investment unrealized losses, their associated fair market values, and the duration of unrealized losses for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, are shown in the following tables:
 
December 31, 2011
 
In Loss Position
Less Than 12 Months
 
In Loss Position
Greater Than 12 Months
 
Total
 
Fair Market
Value
 
Unrealized
Losses
 
Fair Market
Value
 
Unrealized
Losses
 
Fair Market
Value
 
Unrealized
Losses
 
 
 
 
 
(In thousands)
 
 
 
 
Fixed income securities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

U.S. Treasury
$
1,736

 
$
(51
)
 
$
3,038

 
$
(262
)
 
$
4,774

 
$
(313
)
Canadian government
4,024

 
(24
)
 
—

 
—

 
4,024

 
(24
)
Corporate
15,044

 
(850
)
 
1,747

 
(111
)
 
16,791

 
(961
)
Residential mortgage-backed
2

 
(1
)
 
15

 
(1
)
 
17

 
(2
)
Equity securities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Preferred stock:
1,583

 
(270
)
 
—

 
—

 
1,583

 
(270
)
Common stock:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

United States
123,849

 
(26,401
)
 
17,085

 
(4,053
)
 
140,934

 
(30,454
)
Canada
7,694

 
(1,260
)
 
366

 
(520
)
 
8,060

 
(1,780
)
Other international
8,654

 
(629
)
 
3,772

 
(907
)
 
12,426

 
(1,536
)
Mutual funds:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Equity
115,725

 
(11,222
)
 
36,398

 
(13,689
)
 
152,123

 
(24,911
)
Fixed income
48,950

 
(7,686
)
 
9,367

 
(12,552
)
 
58,317

 
(20,238
)
Private equity
466

 
(254
)
 
14,213

 
(15,363
)
 
14,679

 
(15,617
)
Total temporarily impaired securities
$
327,727

 
$
(48,648
)
 
$
86,001

 
$
(47,458
)
 
$
413,728

 
$
(96,106
)
 
December 31, 2010
 
In Loss Position
Less Than 12 Months
 
In Loss Position
Greater Than 12 Months
 
Total
 
Fair Market
Value
 
Unrealized
Losses
 
Fair Market
Value
 
Unrealized
Losses
 
Fair Market
Value
 
Unrealized
Losses
 
 
 
 
 
(In thousands)
 
 
 
 
Fixed income securities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

U.S. Treasury
$
6,057

 
$
(295
)
 
$
315

 
$
(12
)
 
$
6,372

 
$
(307
)
Canadian government
2,908

 
(4
)
 
—

 
—

 
2,908

 
(4
)
Corporate
8,577

 
(402
)
 
—

 
—

 
8,577

 
(402
)
Residential mortgage-backed
—

 
—

 
20

 
(1
)
 
20

 
(1
)
Asset-backed
766

 
(4
)
 
56

 
(1
)
 
822

 
(5
)
Equity securities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Preferred stock:
1,749

 
(124
)
 
—

 
—

 
1,749

 
(124
)
Common stock:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

United States
63,027

 
(4,450
)
 
31,108

 
(6,371
)
 
94,135

 
(10,821
)
Canada
3,131

 
(181
)
 
1,475

 
(669
)
 
4,606

 
(850
)
Other international
8,542

 
(1,403
)
 
5,259

 
(2,242
)
 
13,801

 
(3,645
)
Mutual funds:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Equity
5,107

 
(112
)
 
92,630

 
(18,457
)
 
97,737

 
(18,569
)
Fixed income
25,887

 
(354
)
 
14,600

 
(9,605
)
 
40,487

 
(9,959
)
Private equity
—

 
—

 
5,557

 
(13,890
)
 
5,557

 
(13,890
)
Other
7

 
(1
)
 
303

 
(384
)
 
310

 
(385
)
Total temporarily impaired securities
$
125,758

 
$
(7,330
)
 
$
151,323

 
$
(51,632
)
 
$
277,081

 
$
(58,962
)