Segment Reporting Level 4 (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Sep. 30, 2019
Jun. 30, 2019
Mar. 31, 2019
Dec. 31, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Jun. 30, 2018
Mar. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2019
Dec. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Noncurrent $ 2,051       $ 1,727       $ 2,051 $ 1,727  
Revenues 850,760 $ 769,241 $ 812,572 $ 798,212 820,814 $ 778,786 $ 796,092 $ 794,482 3,230,785 3,190,174 $ 3,095,031
Interest expense                 185,843 181,556 169,125
Depreciation and amortization                 151,000 153,650 153,141
Depreciation and amortization                 151,000 153,650 153,141
Amortization of intangibles                 25,649 26,195 27,650
Amortization of cemetery property                 70,330 68,640 68,102
Total assets 13,677,430       12,693,243       13,677,430 12,693,243  
Capital expenditures                 239,957 235,545 214,501
Gross profits from reportable segments 217,868 159,732 191,146 191,834 210,263 166,170 188,127 195,762 760,580 760,322 722,779
Corporate general and administrative expenses                 (126,886) (145,596) (158,651)
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net                 32,919 15,933 7,015
Operating income 240,945 128,585 150,105 146,978 172,710 132,303 161,954 163,692 666,613 630,659 571,143
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net                 (16,637) (10,131) (274)
Other income (expense), net                 299 2,760 (1,486)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes 195,172 [1] $ 72,869 [1] $ 96,083 [1] $ 100,308 [1] 126,012 [1] $ 86,036 [1] $ 119,315 [1] $ 110,369 [1] 464,432 441,732 400,258
Long lived assets 6,833,166       6,612,821       6,833,166 6,612,821  
UNITED STATES                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 3,052,101 2,991,617 2,889,463
Interest expense                 185,512 181,266 168,956
Depreciation and amortization                 142,550 144,877 143,932
Amortization of intangibles                 25,079 25,664 27,092
Amortization of cemetery property                 66,552 63,709 61,307
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net                 33,200 8,419 61
Operating income                 628,204 568,446 502,865
Long lived assets 6,531,705       6,334,924       6,531,705 6,334,924  
CANADA                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 178,684 198,557 205,568
Interest expense                 331 290 169
Depreciation and amortization                 8,450 8,773 9,209
Amortization of intangibles                 570 531 558
Amortization of cemetery property                 3,778 4,931 6,795
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net                 (281) 7,514 6,954
Operating income                 38,409 62,213 68,278
Long lived assets 301,461       277,897       301,461 277,897  
Funeral [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 1,923,902 1,897,992 1,868,152
Interest expense                 4,026 3,634 3,986
Depreciation and amortization                 106,982 108,891 109,965
Amortization of intangibles                 15,343 17,515 17,871
Amortization of cemetery property                 0 0 0
Total assets 5,821,408       5,411,178       5,821,408 5,411,178  
Capital expenditures                 112,090 99,008 83,241
Gross profits from reportable segments                 372,638 369,613 371,853
Cemetery [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 1,306,883 1,292,182 1,226,879
Interest expense                 659 469 401
Depreciation and amortization                 33,323 33,183 32,815
Amortization of intangibles                 10,297 8,619 9,696
Amortization of cemetery property                 70,330 68,640 68,102
Total assets 7,483,713       6,913,132       7,483,713 6,913,132  
Capital expenditures                 125,365 125,131 118,699
Gross profits from reportable segments                 387,942 390,709 350,926
Corporate Elimination [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Interest expense                 181,158 177,453 164,738
Depreciation and amortization                 10,695 11,576 10,361
Amortization of intangibles                 9 61 83
Amortization of cemetery property                 0 0 0
Total assets 372,309       368,933       372,309 368,933  
Capital expenditures                 2,502 11,406 12,561
Operating Segments [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Interest expense                   181,556 169,125
Depreciation and amortization                 151,000 153,650 153,141
Amortization of intangibles                 25,649 26,195 27,650
Amortization of cemetery property                 70,330 68,640 68,102
Total assets $ 13,677,430       $ 12,693,243       13,677,430 12,693,243  
Capital expenditures                 239,957 235,545 214,501
Funeral Atneed Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 996,643 998,464 1,011,214
Funeral Matured Preneed Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 605,237 600,944 574,235
Funeral Core Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 1,601,880 1,599,408 1,585,449
Non-funeral Home Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 52,211 49,671 46,513
Funeral Recognized Preneed Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 139,525 125,144 117,352
Funeral Other Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 130,286 123,769 118,838
Cemetery Atneed Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 326,230 323,162 319,899
Cemetery Recognized Preneed Property Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 581,724 572,955 538,314
Cemetery Recognized Preneed Merchandise And Service Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 287,589 288,282 274,885
Cemetery Core Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 1,195,543 1,184,399 1,133,098
Cemetery Other Revenue [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 $ 111,340 $ 107,783 $ 93,781
[1]
Includes Gains (losses) on divestitures and impairment charges, net, as described in Note 16.