Cemetery Perpetual Care Trusts Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) (Cemetery Perpetual Care [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 | $ 931,418 | $ 894,756 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 38,501 | 62,694 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (56,905) | (35,222) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 913,014 | 922,228 |
US Treasury Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,637 | 5,651 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 815 | 863 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (2) | (31) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 2,450 | 6,483 |
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 28,751 | 26,702 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 862 | 642 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (18) | (7) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 29,595 | 27,337 |
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 20,677 | 48,278 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 609 | 5,219 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (92) | (249) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 21,194 | 53,248 |
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,702 | 1,764 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 59 | 55 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (11) | (6) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 1,750 | 1,813 |
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 52 | 363 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | | 5 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 52 | 368 |
Preferred Stock securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 5,961 | 7,789 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 0 | 1,385 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (1,216) | (112) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 4,745 | 9,062 |
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 138,464 | 116,799 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 6,903 | 16,916 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (16,980) | (6,640) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 128,387 | 127,075 |
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 12,581 | 11,510 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,457 | 2,510 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (1,237) | (758) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 12,801 | 13,262 |
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 18,788 | 16,004 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 843 | 2,175 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (2,259) | (1,845) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 17,372 | 16,334 |
Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 21,474 | 65,114 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 736 | 6,964 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (2,336) | (7,239) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 19,874 | 64,839 |
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 648,407 | 562,879 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 25,030 | 24,773 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (16,199) | (2,334) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 657,238 | 585,318 |
Private Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 24,835 | 23,428 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 358 | 351 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (14,231) | (13,344) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | 10,962 | 10,435 |
Other Investments [Member] | | |
| Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 8,089 | 8,475 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 829 | 836 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | (2,324) | (2,657) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value | $ 6,594 | $ 6,654 |