Preneed Funeral Activities Fair Value Hierarchy (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $) In Thousands | Sep. 30, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] | ||
| Trust investments, at market | $ 875,770 | $ 875,043 |
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member] | ||
| Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] | ||
| Trust investments, at market | 603,428 | 610,240 |
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | ||
| Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] | ||
| Trust investments, at market | 251,935 | 243,444 |
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | ||
| Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] | ||
| Trust investments, at market | $ 20,407 | $ 21,359 |