Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Cemetery [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 | $ 1,006,955 | $ 1,002,241 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 72,870 | 119,492 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (112,322) | (58,962) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 967,503 | 1,062,771 |
US Treasury Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 51,242 | 50,884 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 5,524 | 2,493 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (305) | (307) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 56,461 | 53,070 |
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 17,067 | 15,669 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 492 | 362 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (10) | (4) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 17,549 | 16,027 |
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 41,828 | 39,265 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,441 | 3,387 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (1,628) | (402) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 41,641 | 42,250 |
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 168 | 863 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 5 | 31 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (1) | (1) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 172 | 893 |
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | | 6,336 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | | 261 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | | (5) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | | 6,592 |
Preferred Stock securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 3,729 | 4,577 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 24 | 453 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (462) | (124) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 3,291 | 4,906 |
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 389,521 | 386,537 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 47,683 | 82,385 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (48,239) | (10,821) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 388,965 | 458,101 |
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 17,177 | 17,279 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 2,857 | 3,869 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (1,527) | (850) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 18,507 | 20,298 |
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 28,103 | 31,466 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 744 | 2,485 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (4,028) | (3,645) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 24,819 | 30,306 |
Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 181,246 | 202,328 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,883 | 15,173 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (24,032) | (18,569) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 159,097 | 198,932 |
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 246,647 | 226,567 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 12,081 | 8,537 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (15,832) | (9,959) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 242,896 | 225,145 |
Private Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 29,892 | 19,596 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 44 | 13 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (16,258) | (13,890) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 13,678 | 5,719 |
Other Investments [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 335 | 874 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 92 | 43 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 0 | (385) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | $ 427 | $ 532 |