Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $)
In Thousands | Sep. 30, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 |
|---|
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | $ 923,536 | $ 837,692 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 47,243 | 90,876 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (95,009) | (53,525) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 875,770 | 875,043 |
US Treasury Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 76,987 | 71,948 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 4,032 | 2,061 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (336) | (334) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 80,683 | 73,675 |
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 113,763 | 121,137 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 628 | 1,004 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (50) | (20) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 114,341 | 122,121 |
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 51,128 | 33,627 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,353 | 2,751 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (1,207) | (285) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 51,274 | 36,093 |
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 3,388 | 5,310 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 77 | 135 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (32) | (22) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 3,433 | 5,423 |
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 127 | 2,984 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 6 | 97 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 0 | (2) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 133 | 3,079 |
Preferred Stock securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 2,344 | 2,835 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 19 | 296 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (292) | (78) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 2,071 | 3,053 |
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 267,707 | 268,650 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 28,059 | 63,301 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (36,268) | (8,391) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 259,498 | 323,560 |
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 23,638 | 22,452 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 2,824 | 4,542 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (1,354) | (798) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 25,108 | 26,196 |
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 19,481 | 21,611 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 460 | 2,240 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (3,219) | (2,330) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 16,722 | 21,521 |
Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 132,562 | 116,260 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,685 | 6,123 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (23,543) | (18,289) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 110,704 | 104,094 |
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 195,093 | 134,181 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 6,298 | 6,316 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (9,995) | (5,628) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 191,396 | 134,869 |
Private Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 36,800 | 27,864 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,408 | 1,395 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (18,713) | (16,890) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 19,495 | 12,369 |
Other Investments [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 518 | 8,833 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 394 | 615 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 0 | (458) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | $ 912 | $ 8,990 |