Preneed Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on preneed funeral trust investments) (Details) - Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	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	$ 0	$ 100,000	$ 0	$ 900,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	12,281,000		12,281,000		$ 17,076,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(2,710,000)		(2,710,000)		(772,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	12,971,000		12,971,000		20,934,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(1,753,000)		(1,753,000)		(3,944,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	25,252,000		25,252,000		38,010,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(4,463,000)		(4,463,000)		(4,716,000)
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	837,000		837,000		834,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(4,000)		(4,000)		(10,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0		0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	0		0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	837,000		837,000		834,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(4,000)		(4,000)		(10,000)
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value					244,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss					(5,000)
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					244,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss					(5,000)
Foreign Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	170,000		170,000		2,654,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(4,000)		(4,000)		(186,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,628,000		1,628,000		2,905,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(163,000)		(163,000)		(490,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,798,000		1,798,000		5,559,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(167,000)		(167,000)		(676,000)
Corporate Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	2,273,000		2,273,000		6,977,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(430,000)		(430,000)		(215,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	609,000		609,000		2,234,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(141,000)		(141,000)		(919,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	2,882,000		2,882,000		9,211,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(571,000)		(571,000)		(1,134,000)
Preferred Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	191,000		191,000		3,420,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(6,000)		(6,000)		(128,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	8,183,000		8,183,000		11,750,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(520,000)		(520,000)		(842,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	8,374,000		8,374,000		15,170,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(526,000)		(526,000)		(970,000)
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	234,000		234,000		55,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(24,000)		(24,000)		(5,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	9,000		9,000		11,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	0		0		(1,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	243,000		243,000		66,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(24,000)		(24,000)		(6,000)
Equity [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	8,497,000		8,497,000		2,795,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(2,241,000)		(2,241,000)		(216,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,934,000		1,934,000		3,390,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(892,000)		(892,000)		(1,634,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	10,431,000		10,431,000		6,185,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(3,133,000)		(3,133,000)		(1,850,000)
Fixed Income [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	79,000		79,000		97,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(1,000)		(1,000)		(7,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	608,000		608,000		644,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(37,000)		(37,000)		(58,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	687,000		687,000		741,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ (38,000)		$ (38,000)		$ (65,000)