Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 290,705	$ 170,669
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(12,519)	(8,378)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	114,048	91,149
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(30,144)	(38,129)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	404,753	261,818
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(42,663)	(46,507)
US Treasury Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	28,693	22,357
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(3,595)	(803)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	19,351	6,741
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2,004)	(77)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	48,044	29,098
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(5,599)	(880)
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	9,546	7,912
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(120)	(113)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	18,981	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(993)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	28,527	7,912
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1,113)	(113)
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	21,357	7,809
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(346)	(347)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	5,654	4,283
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(345)	(276)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	27,011	12,092
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(691)	(623)
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,381	956
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(25)	(8)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	172	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(8)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,553	956
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(33)	(8)
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	3,275
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(10)
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, Aggregate Losses	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	3,275
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(10)
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	5,604	1,497
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(123)	(143)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0	126
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	(53)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	5,604	1,623
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(123)	(196)
Preferred Stock securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	14,028	1,220
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(235)	(93)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0	52
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	0	(10)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	14,028	1,272
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(235)	(103)
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	46,317	82,989
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(2,648)	(5,624)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	3,489	11,131
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(583)	(2,092)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	49,806	94,120
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(3,231)	(7,716)
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	46,544	70,752
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(2,153)	(4,694)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	3,327	9,089
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(775)	(2,209)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	49,871	79,841
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(2,928)	(6,903)
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,569	3,114
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(502)	(461)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,935	1,115
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(433)	(385)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	3,504	4,229
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(935)	(846)
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	2,433	6,592
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(576)	(652)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,992	2,516
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(641)	(619)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	4,425	9,108
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1,217)	(1,271)
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	4,344	9,056
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(124)	(655)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	702	741
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(76)	(202)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	5,046	9,797
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(200)	(857)
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	3,396	7,606
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(138)	(521)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	369	608
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(60)	(137)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	3,765	8,214
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(198)	(658)
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	3,858	28,132
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(54)	(1,427)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	14,477	43,172
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(1,650)	(8,494)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	18,335	71,304
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1,704)	(9,921)
Equity Funds [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	16,206	6,779
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(337)	(126)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	12,456	26,340
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(1,966)	(6,602)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	28,662	33,119
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(2,303)	(6,728)
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	134,669	54,533
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(5,527)	(2,205)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	64,009	29,104
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(28,122)	(17,145)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	198,678	83,637
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(33,649)	(19,350)
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	143,846	38,686
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(4,984)	(1,021)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	38,217	24,131
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(14,593)	(9,231)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	182,063	62,817
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(19,577)	(10,252)
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0	46
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(17)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	6,589	17,136
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(5,153)	(15,158)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	6,589	17,182
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(5,153)	(15,175)
Private Equity Funds [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	13,002	17,389
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(8,726)	(18,968)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	13,002	17,389
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(8,726)	(18,968)
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of unrealized 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, Aggregate Losses	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	282
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(33)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	282
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(33)
Other Investments [Member] | Funeral [Member]
Schedule of unrealized 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, Aggregate Losses	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	527
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(33)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	527
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	$ (33)