Preneed Trust Investments (Purchases and sales of investments in preneed funeral trusts) (Details) (Preneed Funeral Trust Investments, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Preneed Funeral Trust Investments
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Purchases	$ (38,592)	$ (72,424)	$ (89,969)
Sales	$ 39,853	$ 72,639	$ 86,846

The cash outflow to acquire debt and equity securities not classified as either held-to-maturity securities or trading securities which would be classified as available-for-sale securities and reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported in a separate component of shareholders' equity.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 11

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26853-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (a),(b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration