Preneed Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on cemetery merchandise and service trust investments) (Details) - Preneed Cemetery Trust Investments [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Impairment charge, other than temporary decline in fair value of investments	$ 100	$ 0	$ 800
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		11,257		$ 15,566
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(2,684)		(745)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		12,328		20,056
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(1,703)		(3,827)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		23,585		35,622
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(4,387)		(4,572)
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis		72,059		71,252
Unrealized Gains		5,501		4,425
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value				228
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss				(4)
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				228
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss				(4)
Foreign Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		153		2,523
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(2)		(180)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		1,657		2,868
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(166)		(475)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		1,810		5,391
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(168)		(655)
Corporate Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		2,158		6,939
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(410)		(233)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		624		2,168
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(143)		(890)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		2,782		9,107
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(553)		(1,123)
Preferred Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		273		3,217
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(2)		(121)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		8,111		11,635
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(522)		(826)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		8,384		14,852
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(524)		(947)
Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		200		51
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(23)		(5)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		200		51
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(23)		(5)
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis				949
Unrealized Gains				372
Common Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		8,473		2,608
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(2,247)		(202)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		1,936		3,385
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(872)		(1,636)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		10,409		5,993
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(3,119)		(1,838)
Mutual Fund [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
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Municipal Bonds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis				496
Unrealized Gains				18
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Corporate Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis		19,335		20,621
Unrealized Gains		1,145		$ 1,569
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis		1,089
Unrealized Gains		$ 240