Acquisition Acquisition, Textuals (Details)
 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2011
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2010
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2010
CAD
Dec. 31, 2011
Cemetery [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Cemetery [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Funeral [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Funeral [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2010
Current [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2010
Noncurrent [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Keystone Acquisition [Member]
Cemetery [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
Keystone Acquisition [Member]
Funeral [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Neptune [Member]
USD ($)
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price Per Share         8.07                  
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price     $ 44,000,000 $ 288,900,000                    
Business Acquisition, Debt Refinancing       80,700,000                    
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs   7,100,000                        
Amortization of Acquisition Costs   3,700,000                        
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Gross Contractual Amount                   8,200,000 5,500,000      
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Estimated Uncollectible                   2,100,000 300,000      
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Noncurrent Assets, Receivables       5,200,000                    
Goodwill       108,643,000                   37,300,000
Goodwill, Acquired During Period 61,396,000 120,096,000       463,000 6,076,000 60,933,000 114,020,000     4,300,000 104,300,000  
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount       26,000,000                    
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue   83,700,000                        
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Earnings or Loss of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual   16,700,000                        
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired     70.00%                      
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Amortizable Intangible Assets       $ 34,312,000                   $ 37,600,000