Preneed Trust Investments (Cost and fair market values associated with preneed funeral trust investments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	$ 75,016		$ 75,016		$ 74,203
Unrealized Gains	2,539		2,539		2,927
Unrealized Losses	(4,121)		(4,121)		(3,695)
Fair Market Value	73,434		73,434		73,435
Preneed cemetery trust investments	$ 74,144		$ 74,144		$ 74,198
Fair market value as a percentage of cost	97.90%		97.90%		99.00%
Impairment charge, other than temporary decline in fair value of investments	$ 700	$ 200	$ 700	$ 200
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Cash and Money Market Accounts [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	7,339		7,339		$ 5,591
Unrealized Gains	0		0		0
Unrealized Losses	0		0		0
Fair Market Value	7,339		7,339		5,591
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	474		474			$ 347
Unrealized Gains	0		0			9
Unrealized Losses	(93)		(93)			0
Fair Market Value	381		381			$ 356
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	5,609		5,609		5,874
Unrealized Gains	19		19		0
Unrealized Losses	(270)		(270)		(237)
Fair Market Value	5,358		5,358		5,637
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Corporate Debt [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	27,123		27,123		30,108
Unrealized Gains	211		211		362
Unrealized Losses	(1,746)		(1,746)		(2,167)
Fair Market Value	25,588		25,588		28,303
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Preferred Stock [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	16,771		16,771		19,154
Unrealized Gains	47		47		199
Unrealized Losses	(576)		(576)		(325)
Fair Market Value	16,242		16,242		19,028
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost					1
Unrealized Gains					0
Unrealized Losses					0
Fair Market Value					1
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Common Stock
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	17,700		17,700		13,128
Unrealized Gains	2,262		2,262		2,357
Unrealized Losses	(1,436)		(1,436)		(966)
Fair Market Value	18,526		18,526		14,519
Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] | Accrued Investment Income [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	710		710		763
Fair Market Value	710		710		763
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	99,000		99,000		99,038
Unrealized Gains	3,295		3,295		4,176
Unrealized Losses	(4,039)		(4,039)		(3,250)
Fair Market Value	98,256		98,256		99,964
Preneed cemetery trust investments	$ 98,972		$ 98,972		$ 100,579
Fair market value as a percentage of cost	99.20%		99.20%		100.90%
Impairment charge, other than temporary decline in fair value of investments	$ 600	$ 100	$ 600	$ 100
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Cash and Money Market Accounts [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	20,586		20,586		$ 17,501
Unrealized Gains	0		0		0
Unrealized Losses	0		0		0
Fair Market Value	20,586		20,586		17,501
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	453		453
Unrealized Gains	0		0
Unrealized Losses	(89)		(89)
Fair Market Value	364		364
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | U.S. Treasury Debt [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	2,035		2,035		2,037
Unrealized Gains	34		34		32
Unrealized Losses	(14)		(14)		(15)
Fair Market Value	2,055		2,055		2,054
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | U.S. Agency Obligations [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost					30
Unrealized Gains					0
Unrealized Losses					0
Fair Market Value					30
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	5,302		5,302		4,653
Unrealized Gains	18		18		0
Unrealized Losses	(252)		(252)		(188)
Fair Market Value	5,068		5,068		4,465
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Corporate Debt [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	26,321		26,321		24,761
Unrealized Gains	263		263		469
Unrealized Losses	(1,663)		(1,663)		(1,718)
Fair Market Value	24,921		24,921		23,512
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Preferred Stock [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	16,679		16,679		16,166
Unrealized Gains	129		129		256
Unrealized Losses	(547)		(547)		(261)
Fair Market Value	16,261		16,261		16,161
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	284		284		309
Unrealized Gains	5		5		8
Unrealized Losses	(2)		(2)		(3)
Fair Market Value	287		287		314
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Common Stock
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	16,479		16,479		10,544
Unrealized Gains	2,198		2,198		1,926
Unrealized Losses	(1,308)		(1,308)		(783)
Fair Market Value	17,369		17,369		11,687
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Equity [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	4,926		4,926		14,126
Unrealized Gains	635		635		1,370
Unrealized Losses	(42)		(42)		(181)
Fair Market Value	5,519		5,519		15,315
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Fixed Income [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	2,281		2,281		5,351
Unrealized Gains	13		13		115
Unrealized Losses	(91)		(91)		(72)
Fair Market Value	2,203		2,203		5,394
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	3,654		3,654		3,560
Unrealized Gains	0		0		0
Unrealized Losses	(31)		(31)		(29)
Fair Market Value	3,623		3,623		3,531
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] | Accrued Investment Income [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Cost	716		716		615
Fair Market Value	$ 716		$ 716		$ 615