Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Operations) (Details)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) funeral_homes cemeteries states	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) funeral_homes	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) funeral_homes cemeteries states segment	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Depreciation expense		$ 3,100,000	$ 2,900,000	$ 9,400,000	$ 8,400,000
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired				$ 723,000	15,056,000
Number of business segments | segment				2
Amortization Of Cemetery Property		$ 900,000		$ 2,400,000	3,100,000
Period after which commissions are no longer subject to refund				1 year
The percentage of trust assets in custody of institution receiving trust management services		79.00%		79.00%
Accounts Receivable, Net, Current	$ 18,860,000	$ 18,821,000		$ 18,821,000
Other receivables	334,000	404,000		404,000
Preneed receivables	30,383,000	31,279,000		31,279,000
Bad debt expense				1,737,000	1,522,000
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Net Of Uncertain Tax Positions		$ 1,522,000	$ 1,891,000	$ 9,283,000	$ 8,406,000
Estimated Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Before Discrete Items, Percent		40.00%	40.00%		40.00%
Period in which two-step goodwill impairment test is performed				3 years
Stock-based compensation		$ 70,000		$ 700,000
Tax adjustment related to certain discrete items		$ (302,000)	$ (1,139,000)	(243,000)	$ (1,139,000)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent		39.00%			35.20%
Payments to Acquire Commercial Real Estate					$ 2,700,000
Number Of Funeral Homes From Which Land Buildings Were Purchased | funeral_homes			4
Increase in Total liabilities	709,335,000	$ 711,813,000		711,813,000
Funeral And Cemetery [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Bad debt expense		600,000	$ 500,000	1,700,000	1,500,000
Funeral [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Net, Current	8,664,000	7,865,000		7,865,000
Preneed receivables	7,761,000	7,943,000		7,943,000
Cemetery [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Net, Current	9,862,000	10,552,000		10,552,000
Preneed receivables	22,622,000	$ 23,336,000		$ 23,336,000
Funeral homes [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Number of owned and operated funeral homes (in Funeral Homes) | funeral_homes		171		171
Number of states in which Company operates | states		28		28
Cemeteries [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Number of states in which Company operates | states		11		11
Number of owned and operated cemeteries (in Cemetaries) | cemeteries		32		32
Separate Income Tax Return [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Number Of States In Which Entity Files Separate State Income Tax Returns | states				15
Combined Or Unitary Income Tax Return [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Number Of States In Which Entity Files Unitary Tax Returns | states				13
Land and Building [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions					$ 6,300,000
Out-of-period Immaterial Adjustment [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Increase in Deferred tax liability	2,255,000
Increase in Total liabilities	2,255,000
Decrease, Retained Earnings, Total Equity	$ 2,255,000
Percentage Change, Impact of Adjustment To Deferred Tax Liability	5.60%
Percentage Change, Impact of Adjustment To Total Liabilities	0.30%
Percentage Change, Impact of Adjustment To Retained Earnings	9.80%
Percentage Change, Impact of Adjustment To Total Stockholders' Equity	1.30%
Out-of-period Immaterial Adjustment [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Decrease, Retained Earnings, Total Equity	$ 2,255,000
Tradenames [Member]
Organization Description and Operations [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets, Indefinite-lived (Excluding Goodwill)			$ 145,000