Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on perpetual care trust investments) (Details) - Perpetual Care Trust Invesments [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	$ 400	$ 500
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	15,661		$ 27,763
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(3,361)		(3,995)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	12,817		8,245
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(3,395)		(2,174)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	28,478		36,008
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(6,757)		(6,169)
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	128		280
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(26)		(45)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	139		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(33)		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	267		280
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(60)		(45)
Foreign Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,878		2,541
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(306)		(265)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,192		281
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(327)		(215)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	3,070		2,822
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(633)		(480)
Corporate Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	4,569		10,463
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(917)		(2,164)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	4,840		2,210
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(1,437)		(931)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	9,409		12,673
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(2,354)		(3,095)
Common Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	3,666		7,379
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(1,631)		(1,220)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,986		2,186
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(1,091)		(719)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	5,652		9,565
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(2,722)		(1,939)
Preferred Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	5,420		7,100
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(481)		(301)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	4,660		3,568
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(507)		(309)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	10,080		10,668
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ (988)		$ (610)