Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net income	$ 473,618	$ 596,687
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	1,225	5,226
Depreciation and amortization	130,451	119,200
Amortization of intangibles	14,059	15,095
Amortization of cemetery property	69,059	75,394
Amortization of loan costs	5,182	4,736
Provision for expected credit losses	11,404	8,545
Provision for (benefit from) deferred income taxes	7,302	(8,125)
Share-based compensation	11,063	10,630
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets	(15,186)	(15,232)
Gain on Sale of Investments	(1,169)	0
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable	15,349	(9,921)
Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets	2,622	(39,681)
Increase (Decrease) in Operating Liabilities	17,147	(84,404)
Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:
Increase in preneed receivables, net and trust investments	(248,289)	(246,867)
Increase in deferred revenue, net	173,474	92,991
Increase in deferred receipts held in trust	22,426	37,280
Net cash provided by operating activities	655,443	730,362
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(252,763)	(177,767)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(13,488)	(9,221)
Payments for (Proceeds from) Deposits on Real Estate Acquisitions	(8,901)	(15,642)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment	31,394	25,602
Proceeds from Limited Partnership Investments	1,330	0
Payment to Acquire Life Insurance Policy, Investing Activities	(1,788)	(3,666)
Net cash used in investing activities	(244,216)	(180,694)
Cash flows from financing activities
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	0	13,640
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	325,000	820,000
Early payments and extinguishment of debt	(65,591)	(699,837)
Finance Lease, Principal Payments	26,779	25,421
Repayments of Unsecured Debt	(27,212)	(27,110)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	16,840	34,521
Purchase of Company common stock	(586,562)	(344,373)
Payments of dividends	(118,435)	(109,285)
Bank overdrafts and other	(13,854)	(3,497)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(496,593)	(368,642)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash, and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Continuing Operations	(4,744)	(197)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	(90,110)	180,829
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	$ 188,445	$ 419,439