Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Textuals (Details) - USD ($)
$ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Mar. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2019
Dec. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 8,734   $ 56,344 $ 8,734  
Restricted Cash, Current 7,007   $ 54,293 7,007  
Intangible Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Savings Rate, Low     0.020    
Amortization of cemetery property     $ 70,330 68,640 $ 68,102
Depreciation     $ 151,000 $ 153,650 $ 153,141
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, Low End of the Range     1.00%    
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate, High End of the Range     3.70%    
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate     6.75%    
Intangible Fair Value Inputs, Royalty Savings Rate     0.050    
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate     6.95%    
Retirement of treasury shares     0 0 0
General Agency Revenue   $ 121,000 $ 139,700 $ 134,100  
Deferred incremental selling costs 282,283   293,125 282,283  
Impact From Change in Depreciable Lives $ 4,300   $ 12,100    
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Change on Basic Earnings Per Share $ 0.02   $ 0.07    
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Expense to Revenue Ratio, Low end range     72.20%    
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Expense to Revenue Ratio, High end range     80.00%    
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Growth Rate Other, Low end range     1.00%    
GoodwillReportingUnitFairValueInputsGrowthRateOtherHighendrange     3.70%    
Other Assets, Current $ 33,607   $ 80,488 33,607  
Other Liabilities $ 10,222   9,596 10,222  
Accounting Standards Update 2018-09 [Member]          
Other Assets, Current     700    
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities     2,700    
Other Assets     62,600    
Other Liabilities     53,200    
Accrued Liabilities     9,400    
Funeral [Member]          
Amortization of cemetery property     0 0 $ 0
Depreciation     $ 106,982 108,891 109,965
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate     1.00%    
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate     1.00%    
Cemetery [Member]          
Amortization of cemetery property     $ 70,330 68,640 68,102
Depreciation     $ 33,323 $ 33,183 $ 32,815
Goodwill Reporting Unit Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate     2.40%    
Intangibles Fair Value Inputs, Terminal Growth Rate     2.40%    
Treasury Stock [Member]          
Retirement of treasury shares     2,243 9,419 6,890
Minimum [Member]          
Funeral home lease life     1 year    
Transportation equipment lease life     1 year    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life     2 years    
Minimum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]          
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives     P10Y    
Minimum [Member] | Equipment [Member]          
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives     P3Y    
Maximum [Member]          
Funeral home lease life     40 years    
Transportation equipment lease life     9 years    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life     89 years    
Maximum [Member] | Building and Building Improvements [Member]          
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives     P40Y    
Maximum [Member] | Equipment [Member]          
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives     P12Y    
Maximum [Member] | Leasehold Improvements [Member]          
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives     P12Y    
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life     2 years    
Noncompete Agreements [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life     20 years    
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member]          
Incremental Selling Costs     $ 174,700 $ 180,100