Preneed Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on preneed funeral trust investments) (Details) - Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Impairment charge, other than temporary decline in fair value of investments	$ 800	$ 600
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	20,920		$ 42,577
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(4,391)		(6,162)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	24,080		15,322
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(6,210)		(3,482)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	45,000		57,899
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(10,601)		(9,644)
US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value			0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss			0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value			1,504
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss			(12)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value			1,504
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss			(12)
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	139		413
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(27)		(66)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	252		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(60)		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	391		413
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(87)		(66)
Foreign Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	2,692		3,763
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(378)		(392)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2,158		416
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(593)		(319)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	4,850		4,179
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(971)		(711)
Corporate Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	5,470		15,929
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(825)		(3,294)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	8,783		3,364
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(2,587)		(1,417)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	14,253		19,293
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(3,412)		(4,711)
Preferred Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	6,384		10,623
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(537)		(451)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	8,449		5,338
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(918)		(463)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	14,833		15,961
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(1,455)		(914)
Collateralized Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	102		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(3)		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	15		272
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(1)		(4)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	117		272
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(4)		(4)
Equity [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	6,087		11,848
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(2,620)		(1,959)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	3,594		3,510
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(1,977)		(1,154)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	9,681		15,358
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(4,597)		(3,113)
Equity and Other Funds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value			0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss			0
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			0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss			0
Fixed Income [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	46		1
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(1)		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	818		876
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(50)		(82)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	864		877
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(51)		(82)
Other Investments [Member]
Gain (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, Accumulated Loss	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	11		42
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(24)		(31)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	11		42
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ (24)		$ (31)