Acquisition, Textuals (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Acquisitions [Abstract]
(Losses) gains on divestitures										$ 41,835	$ 20,340	$ 29,053
Impairment losses										(8,916)	(4,407)	(22,038)
Gains on divestitures and impairment charges, net										32,919	15,933	7,015
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net	$ 37,908									37,908
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount	23,700									23,700
Revenue	850,760	$ 769,241	$ 812,572	$ 798,212	$ 820,814	$ 778,786	$ 796,092	$ 794,482		3,230,785	3,190,174	3,095,031
Net Income	147,173	$ 70,872	$ 72,513	$ 79,213	$ 193,236	$ 68,993	$ 103,281	$ 82,048		369,771	447,558	546,847
Acquisition Spend									$ 82,200	107,000	62,800	76,200
Large Acquisition Debt Acquired									$ 49,800
Preneed Contracts Receivables Fair Value, net	8,400									8,400
Preneed Contracts Receivables Fair Value	8,900									8,900
Uncollected preneed contract receivables	500									500
Payments for (Proceeds from) Delayed Tax Exempt Exchange										13,600	5,900	26,200
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets	3,388									3,388
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Cemetery property	32,266									32,266
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment	25,896									25,896
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Preneed Funeral And Cemetery Receivables And Trust Investments	107,444									107,444
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	32,371									32,371
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets	18,000									18,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets	1,717									1,717
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Cemetery Perpetual Care Trusts	52,747									52,747
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets	311,737									311,737
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities	7,666									7,666
Business Acquisition Purchase Price Allocation Deferred Preneed Funeral And Cemetery Revenues And Deferred Receipts Held In Trusts	113,173									113,173
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities Noncurrent	4,704									4,704
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Other	1,439									1,439
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Care Trust Corpus	52,747									52,747
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities	179,729									179,729
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net	132,008									132,008
Purchase of noncontrolling interest										0	0	(4,580)
Change in estimated value of acquired current assets										(67)
Changeinestimatedvaluedofacquiredcemeteryproperty										(3,583)
Change in estimated value of property and equipment										(179)
Change in estimated value of preneed receivables net and trust investments										(4,910)
Change in estimated valued of acquired finite lived intangible assets										10,428
Change in estimated value of current liabilities										3,075
Change in the estimated fair value of acquired deferred preneed revenues and deferred receipts held in trust										(7,349)
Change in estimated fair value of deferred income taxes										(7,026)
Change in estimated value of other liabilities										1,439
Total adjustment to the estimated amount of goodwill in a business combination										(8,172)
Cemetery [Member]
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net	21,200									21,200
Revenue										1,306,883	1,292,182	1,226,879
Funeral [Member]
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Net	$ 16,700									16,700
Revenue										$ 1,923,902	1,897,992	$ 1,868,152
Current Year Acquisition [Member]
Business Combination Segment Allocation [Line Items]
Revenue											17,900
Net Income											$ 1,700