Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Invstments (Details) (Cemetery [Member], USD $)
In Thousands | Sep. 30, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 |
|---|
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | $ 352,073 | $ 125,758 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (67,145) | (7,330) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 108,717 | 151,323 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (45,177) | (51,632) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 460,790 | 277,081 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (112,322) | (58,962) |
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 3,307 | 2,908 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (10) | (4) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 3,307 | 2,908 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (10) | (4) |
US Treasury Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 1,817 | 6,057 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (41) | (295) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 3,042 | 315 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (264) | (12) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 4,859 | 6,372 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (305) | (307) |
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 18,660 | 8,577 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (1,628) | (402) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 18,660 | 8,577 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (1,628) | (402) |
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 15 | 20 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (1) | (1) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 15 | 20 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (1) | (1) |
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | | 766 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | | (4) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | | 56 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | | (1) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | | 822 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | | (5) |
Preferred Stock securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 2,428 | 1,749 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (462) | (124) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 2,428 | 1,749 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (462) | (124) |
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 172,584 | 63,027 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (43,555) | (4,450) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 19,470 | 31,108 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (4,684) | (6,371) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 192,054 | 94,135 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (48,239) | (10,821) |
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 5,448 | 3,131 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (966) | (181) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 457 | 1,475 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (561) | (669) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 5,905 | 4,606 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (1,527) | (850) |
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 14,670 | 8,542 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (2,454) | (1,403) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 3,426 | 5,259 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (1,574) | (2,242) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 18,096 | 13,801 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (4,028) | (3,645) |
Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 83,652 | 5,107 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (13,461) | (112) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 58,659 | 92,630 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (10,571) | (18,457) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 142,311 | 97,737 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (24,032) | (18,569) |
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 49,081 | 25,887 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (4,293) | (354) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 10,872 | 14,600 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (11,539) | (9,605) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 59,953 | 40,487 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (15,832) | (9,959) |
Private Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 426 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (275) | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 12,776 | 5,557 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (15,983) | (13,890) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 13,202 | 5,557 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (16,258) | (13,890) |
Other Investments [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | | 7 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | | (1) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | | 303 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | | (384) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | | 310 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | | $ (385) |