Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net income	$ 399,224	$ 473,618
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	1,114	1,225
Depreciation and amortization	141,228	130,451
Amortization of intangibles	14,158	14,059
Amortization of cemetery property	71,892	69,059
Amortization of loan costs	5,133	5,182
Provision for expected credit losses	6,997	11,404
Provision for deferred income taxes	166,786	7,302
Share-based compensation	11,786	11,063
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets	(10,187)	(15,186)
Gain on Sale of Investments	0	(1,169)
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions and divestitures:
Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable	11,781	15,349
Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets	(161,687)	2,622
Increase (Decrease) in Operating Liabilities	21,961	17,147
Effect of preneed funeral production and maturities:
Increase in preneed receivables, net and trust investments	(162,087)	(248,289)
Increase in deferred revenue, net	105,923	173,474
Increase in deferred receipts held in trust	11,358	22,426
Net cash provided by operating activities	591,458	655,443
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(267,752)	(252,763)
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(72,535)	(13,488)
Payments for (Proceeds from) Deposits on Real Estate Acquisitions	(41,084)	(8,901)
Proceeds from divestitures and sales of property and equipment	22,713	31,394
Proceeds from Limited Partnership Investments	0	1,330
Payment to Acquire Life Insurance Policy, Investing Activities	(8,050)	(1,788)
Proceeds from Life Insurance Policy	10,119	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(356,589)	(244,216)
Cash flows from financing activities
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	7,471	0
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	737,433	325,000
Early payments and extinguishment of debt	(490,973)	(65,591)
Finance Lease, Principal Payments	25,678	26,779
Repayments of Unsecured Debt	(16,402)	(27,212)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	16,106	16,840
Purchase of Company common stock	(340,279)	(586,562)
Payments of dividends	(125,543)	(118,435)
Bank overdrafts and other	(9,362)	(13,854)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(262,169)	(496,593)
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash, and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Continuing Operations	(298)	(4,744)
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	(27,598)	(90,110)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	$ 176,926	$ 188,445