Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on perpetual care trust investments) (Details) - Perpetual Care Trust Invesments [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Impairment charge, other than temporary decline in fair value of investments	$ 500	$ 100
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	37,259		$ 27,093
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	5,366		1,476
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	3,273		3,505
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	1,109		975
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	40,532		30,598
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(6,475)		(2,451)
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	289
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	35
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	289
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(35)
Foreign Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,941		3,716
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	299		156
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	501		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	42		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	2,442		3,716
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(341)		(156)
Corporate Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	12,893		11,893
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	1,639		513
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2,156		1,328
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	583		915
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	15,049		13,221
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(2,222)		(1,428)
Common Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	11,342		4,663
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	2,933		616
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	616		44
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	484		37
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	11,958		4,707
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(3,417)		(653)
Preferred Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	10,794		6,821
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	460		191
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0		2,133
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	0		23
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	10,794		8,954
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ (460)		$ (214)