Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Investments Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on perpetual care trust investments) (Details) - Perpetual Care Trust Invesments - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months	$ 10,067	$ 27,763
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months	(476)	(3,995)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	13,733	8,245
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	(2,596)	(2,174)
Fair market value, Total	23,800	36,008
Unrealized Losses, Total	(3,072)	(6,169)
Municipal bonds
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months	137
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months	(3)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	0
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	0
Fair market value, Total	137
Unrealized Losses, Total	(3)
Foreign debt
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months	1,619	2,541
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months	(120)	(265)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	1,961	281
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	(315)	(215)
Fair market value, Total	3,580	2,822
Unrealized Losses, Total	(435)	(480)
Corporate debt
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months	4,679	10,463
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months	(152)	(2,164)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	1,439	2,210
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	(669)	(931)
Fair market value, Total	6,118	12,673
Unrealized Losses, Total	(821)	(3,095)
Preferred stock
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months		7,100
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months		(301)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months		3,568
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months		(309)
Fair market value, Total		10,668
Unrealized Losses, Total		(610)
Preferred stock
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months	2,038
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months	(77)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	8,329
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	(587)
Fair market value, Total	10,367
Unrealized Losses, Total	(664)
Mortgage-backed securities
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months	31
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months	(3)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	0
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	0
Fair market value, Total	31
Unrealized Losses, Total	(3)
Common stock
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months	1,563	7,379
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months	(121)	(1,220)
Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	2,004	2,186
Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Greater than12 months	(1,025)	(719)
Fair market value, Total	3,567	9,565
Unrealized Losses, Total	$ (1,146)	$ (1,939)

Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Investments Cemetery Perpetual Care Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on perpetual care trust investments) (Details) - Perpetual Care Trust Invesments - USD ($)
$ in Thousands

Dec. 31, 2016

Dec. 31, 2015

Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]

Fair market value, In Loss Position Less than12 months

$ 10,067

$ 27,763

Unrealized Losses, In Loss Position Less than12 months

(476)

(3,995)

Fair market value, In Loss Position Greater than12 months

13,733

8,245