Preneed Cemetery Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) - Cemetery - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	$ 549,835	$ 740,693
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(64,719)	(62,997)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	160,837	176,220
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(43,291)	(50,697)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	710,672	916,913
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(108,010)	(113,694)
US Treasury Securities
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		52,533
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(1,435)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		21
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		52,554
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(1,437)
Foreign Government Debt Securities
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	19,788	16,039
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(12)	(105)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,197	841
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(37)	(64)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	20,985	16,880
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(49)	(169)
Corporate Debt Securities
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,632	1,754
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(36)	(22)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2,383	2,347
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(132)	(96)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	4,015	4,101
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(168)	(118)
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		42
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value		18
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss		(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		60
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		(3)
US Common Stock Securities
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	197,289	198,843
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(31,577)	(26,038)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	21,487	21,355
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(6,128)	(5,999)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	218,776	220,198
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(37,705)	(32,037)
Canada Common Stock Securities
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	653	470
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(199)	(6)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	692	1,430
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(96)	(885)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,345	1,900
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(295)	(891)
Other International Common Stock Securities
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	17,150	15,567
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(3,452)	(2,507)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	7,230	9,412
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(2,382)	(3,292)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	24,380	24,979
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(5,834)	(5,799)
Equity Funds
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	198,230	207,349
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(25,801)	(25,991)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	82,557	86,720
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(18,605)	(23,651)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	280,787	294,069
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(44,406)	(49,642)
Fixed Income Funds
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	113,796	139,749
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(3,463)	(6,322)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	36,630	44,550
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(11,312)	(12,204)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	150,426	184,299
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(14,775)	(18,526)
Other Investments
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	1,297
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(179)
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	1,297
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(179)
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	549,835	632,346
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(64,719)	(62,427)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	152,176	166,694
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(38,692)	(46,195)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	702,011	799,040
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(103,411)	(108,622)
Reported at net asset value
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	0	108,347
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	0	(570)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	8,661	9,526
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(4,599)	(4,502)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	8,661	117,873
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(4,599)	(5,072)
Reported at net asset value | Private Equity Funds
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, Accumulated Loss	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	8,661	9,526
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(4,599)	(4,502)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	8,661	9,526
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ (4,599)	(4,502)
Reported at net asset value | Fixed Income Commingled funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value		108,347
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss		(570)
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		108,347
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss		$ (570)