Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Principles of Consolidation and Interim Condensed Disclosures, Policy	Principles of Consolidation and Interim Condensed Disclosures Our unaudited consolidated financial statements include the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Our interim consolidated financial statements are unaudited but include all adjustments, which consist of normal, recurring accruals, that are necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position and results of operations as of and for the interim periods presented. Our unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in a manner consistent with the accounting principles described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 unless otherwise disclosed herein, and should be read in conjunction therewith.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy	Cash and Cash Equivalents We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Use of Estimates, Policy	Use of Estimates The preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to revenue recognition, realization of accounts receivable, goodwill, intangible assets, property and equipment and deferred tax assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience, third-party data and assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. The results of these considerations form the basis for making judgments about the amount and timing of revenues and expenses, the carrying value of assets and the recorded amounts of liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates and such estimates may change if the underlying conditions or assumptions change. Historical performance should not be viewed as indicative of future performance, as there can be no assurance that our results of operations will be consistent from year to year.
Funeral and Cemetery Operations, Policy	Funeral and Cemetery Operations We record the revenue from sales of funeral and cemetery merchandise and services when the merchandise is delivered or the service is performed. Cemetery interment rights are recorded as revenue in accordance with the accounting provisions for real estate sales. This method provides for the recognition of revenue in the period in which the customer’s cumulative payments exceed 10% of the interment right contract price. Interment right costs, which include real property and other costs related to cemetery development, are expensed using the specific identification method in the period in which the sale of the interment right is recognized as revenue. We recorded amortization expense for cemetery property of approximately $0.9 million for both the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017 and $3.1 million and $2.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017, respectively. Sales taxes collected are recognized on a net basis in our Consolidated Financial Statements. Allowances for bad debts and customer cancellations are provided at the date that the sale is recognized as revenue and are based on our historical experience. We also monitor changes in delinquency rates and provide additional bad debt and cancellation reserves when warranted. When preneed sales of funeral services and merchandise are funded through third-party insurance policies, we earn a commission on the sale of the policies. Insurance commissions are recognized as revenues at the point at which the commission is no longer subject to refund, which is typically one year after the policy is issued. Preneed selling costs consist of sales commissions that we pay our sales counselors and other direct related costs of originating preneed sales contracts. These costs are expensed when incurred.
Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy	Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment (including equipment under capital leases) are stated at cost. The costs of ordinary maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred, while renewals and major replacements that extend the useful economic life of the asset are capitalized. Depreciation of property, plant and equipment (including equipment under capital leases) is computed based on the straight-line method.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy	Goodwill Effective January 1, 2017, we adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”), Intangibles (Topic 350): Goodwill and Other. The guidance simplifies subsequent measurement of goodwill and eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test, which should reduce the cost and complexity of evaluating goodwill for impairment. An entity no longer will determine goodwill impairment by calculating the implied fair value of goodwill by assigning the fair value of a reporting unit to all of its assets and liabilities as if that reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination. Instead, impairment is defined as the amount by which the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, up to the total amount of goodwill. We performed our 2017 annual impairment test of goodwill using information as of August 31, 2017. Under current guidance, we are permitted to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test. For our 2017 annual impairment test, we performed a qualitative assessment and concluded that there was not an impairment to goodwill. For our 2016 annual impairment test, we performed a quantitative impairment test. Our intent is to perform the quantitative test at least once every three years unless certain indicators or events suggest otherwise. See Part II, Item 7, Overview of Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 1, to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, for a discussion of the methodology used for the goodwill impairment quantitative test. In addition to our annual review, we assess the impairment of goodwill whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of a reporting unit may be greater than fair value. Factors that could trigger an interim impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant adverse changes in the business climate which may be indicated by a decline in our market capitalization or decline in operating results. No such events or changes occurred between our testing date and reporting period to trigger a subsequent impairment review. No impairments were recorded to our goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy	Goodwill Effective January 1, 2017, we adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”), Intangibles (Topic 350): Goodwill and Other. The guidance simplifies subsequent measurement of goodwill and eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test, which should reduce the cost and complexity of evaluating goodwill for impairment. An entity no longer will determine goodwill impairment by calculating the implied fair value of goodwill by assigning the fair value of a reporting unit to all of its assets and liabilities as if that reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination. Instead, impairment is defined as the amount by which the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, up to the total amount of goodwill. We performed our 2017 annual impairment test of goodwill using information as of August 31, 2017. Under current guidance, we are permitted to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test. For our 2017 annual impairment test, we performed a qualitative assessment and concluded that there was not an impairment to goodwill. For our 2016 annual impairment test, we performed a quantitative impairment test. Our intent is to perform the quantitative test at least once every three years unless certain indicators or events suggest otherwise. See Part II, Item 7, Overview of Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 1, to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, for a discussion of the methodology used for the goodwill impairment quantitative test. In addition to our annual review, we assess the impairment of goodwill whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of a reporting unit may be greater than fair value. Factors that could trigger an interim impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant adverse changes in the business climate which may be indicated by a decline in our market capitalization or decline in operating results. No such events or changes occurred between our testing date and reporting period to trigger a subsequent impairment review. No impairments were recorded to our goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017. Intangible Assets Our intangible assets include tradenames resulting from acquisitions and are included in Intangible and other non-current assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our tradenames are considered to have an indefinite life and are not subject to amortization. We performed our 2017 annual impairment test of intangible assets using information as of August 31, 2017. Under current guidance, we are permitted to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more-likely-than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If, after assessing the totality of events and circumstances, an entity concludes that it is not more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired, then the entity is not required to take further action. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then it is required to determine the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying amount in accordance with the guidance. For our 2017 annual impairment test, we performed a qualitative assessment and concluded that there was not an impairment to intangibles assets. For our 2016 annual impairment test, we performed a quantitative impairment test. Our intent is to perform the quantitative test at least once every three years unless certain indicators or events suggest otherwise. See Part II, Item 7, Overview of Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 1, to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, for a discussion of the methodology used for the intangibles impairment quantitative test. In addition to our annual review, we assess the impairment of intangible assets whenever certain events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the intangible asset may be greater than the fair value. Factors that could trigger an interim impairment review include, but are not limited to, significant under-performance relative to historical or projected future operating results and significant negative industry or economic trends. During the third quarter of 2016, we recorded an impairment to tradenames of $145,000 related to a funeral home business held for sale as the carrying value exceeded fair value. No other impairments were recorded to our intangible assets during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017. Stock Plans and Stock-Based Compensation We have stock-based employee and director compensation plans under which we grant restricted stock, stock options and performance awards. We also have an employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”). We recognize compensation expense in an amount equal to the fair value of the stock-based awards expected to vest or to be purchased over the requisite service period. Fair value is determined on the date of the grant. The fair value of restricted stock is determined using the stock price on the grant date. The fair value of options or awards containing options is determined using the Black-Scholes valuation model. The fair value of the performance awards related to market performance is determined using a Monte-Carlo simulation pricing model. The fair value of the performance awards related to internal performance metrics is determined using the stock price on the grant date. The fair value of the ESPP is determined based on the discount element offered to employees and the embedded option element, which is determined using an option calculation model. Effective January 1, 2017, we adopted the FASB’s ASU, Compensation: (Topic 718): Stock Compensation. The guidance simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The guidance requires that previously unrecognized excess tax benefits should be recognized on a modified retrospective basis. Entities are required to record a deferred tax asset for previously unrecognized excess tax benefits outstanding as of the beginning of the annual period of adoption, with a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings. At January 1, 2017, we performed an analysis for unrecognized excess tax benefits and deficiencies and determined that there were no adjustments to retained earnings, as there are no unrecognized excess tax benefits. The guidance also requires that all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies (including tax benefits of dividends on share-based payment awards) should be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement on a prospective basis. The tax effects of exercised or vested awards should be treated as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the excess tax deficiency related to share-based payments was approximately $70,000, recorded within Tax adjustment related to certain discrete items on our Consolidated Statements of Operations. In addition, excess tax benefits or deficiencies related to share-based payments are now included in operating cash flows rather than financing cash flows. The guidance also allows for a one-time accounting policy election to either account for forfeitures as they occur or continue to estimate forfeitures as required by current guidance. The Company has elected to continue estimating forfeitures under the current guidance. The guidance also requires that the presentation of employee taxes paid when an employer withholds shares for tax-withholding purposes should be classified as a financing activity on the statement of cash flows and applied retrospectively. This resulted in $0.6 million of employee taxes paid from withheld shares being presented as financing activities on our Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for both the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2017. Prior to January 1, 2017, these amounts were presented as operating activities on our Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. We adopted all of the provisions of this amendment in accordance with the transition requirements and it did not have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements. See Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information on our stock-based compensation plans. Stock-Based Compensation In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU, Compensation: (Topic 718): Stock Compensation - Scope of Modification Accounting. The amendments provide guidance about which changes to the terms and conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. An entity should account for the effects of a modification unless the fair value, vesting conditions and classification of the modified award are the same as the original award immediately before the award is modified. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with earlier application permitted for all entities. The amendments should be applied prospectively to an award modified on or after the adoption date. Our adoption of this ASU for our fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018 is not expected to have a material effect on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements under Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance throughout the Industry Topics of the ASC. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Under the new guidance, an entity is required to perform the following five steps: (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The new guidance will significantly enhance comparability of revenue recognition practices across entities, industries, jurisdictions and capital markets. Additionally, the guidance requires improved disclosures as to the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. On July 9, 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date by one year to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. We plan to adopt the provisions of this ASU for our fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach, which recognizes the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard as an adjustment to retained earnings at the date of initial application. Currently, our sales of cemetery interment rights are recorded as revenue in accordance with the retail land sales provisions for accounting for sales of real estate. This method provides for the recognition of revenue in the period in which the customer’s cumulative payments exceed 10% of the contract price related to the interment right. We have analyzed the impact on our contract portfolio by reviewing our revenue streams and our current policies and procedures to identify potential differences that would result from applying the requirements of the new standard to our contracts and we do not expect the new accounting standard to significantly impact our current accounting for the cemetery interment rights. We do not expect the adoption of this accounting standard to materially affect our accounting for other revenue streams. We expect the adoption of this new accounting standard to affect our accounting for the selling costs related to preneed cemetery merchandise and services and preneed funeral trust contracts. Currently, these costs are charged to operations using the specific identification method in the period incurred. Under the new accounting standard, we will capitalize and amortize these costs over the typical financing term for our preneed cemetery merchandise and services contracts and over the average preneed maturity period for our preneed funeral trust contracts. Based on our preliminary assessments, we do not expect the change to have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. The selling costs related to the sales of cemetery interment rights, which include real property and other costs related to cemetery development activities, will continue to be charged to operations using the specific identification method in the period in which the sale of the cemetery interment right is recognized as revenue. The selling costs related to preneed funeral insurance contracts will continue to be charged to operations using the specific identification method in the period incurred. We are continually evaluating the impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements and are currently modifying our financial systems to provide accounting under the new guidance. Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU, Leases (Topic 842). This ASU addresses certain aspects of recognition, presentation, and disclosure of leases and applies to all entities that enter into a lease, with some specified scope exemptions. The amendments in this ASU aim to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with earlier application permitted for all entities. Both lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach, which recognizes the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard as an adjustment to retained earnings at the date of initial application. We plan to adopt the provisions of this ASU for our fiscal year beginning January 1, 2019 and are currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this new accounting standard will have on our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Related Party Transactions, Policy	Related Party Transactions Management evaluated reportable events and transactions that occurred between us and related persons during the nine months ended September 30, 2017. See Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included herein for additional information on our related party transactions.
Subsequent Events, Policy	Subsequent Events Management evaluated events and transactions during the period subsequent to September 30, 2017 through the date the financial statements were issued for potential recognition or disclosure in the accompanying financial statements covered by this report.