Preneed Trust Investments (Unrealized losses on preneed funeral trust investments) (Details) - Preneed Funeral Trust Investments [Member] - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Impairment charge, other than temporary decline in fair value of investments	$ 0	$ 764,974
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	16,452,000		$ 17,076,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(1,095,000)		(772,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	20,081,000		20,934,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(3,464,000)		(3,944,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	36,533,000		38,010,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(4,559,000)		(4,716,000)
US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	836,000		834,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(7,000)		(10,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	836,000		834,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(7,000)		(10,000)
Municipal Bonds [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	349,000		244,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(32,000)		(5,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	349,000		244,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(32,000)		(5,000)
Foreign Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	854,000		2,654,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(22,000)		(186,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	2,581,000		2,905,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(416,000)		(490,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	3,435,000		5,559,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(438,000)		(676,000)
Corporate Debt [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	7,211,000		6,977,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(510,000)		(215,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,790,000		2,234,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(508,000)		(919,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	9,001,000		9,211,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(1,018,000)		(1,134,000)
Preferred Stock [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	2,046,000		3,420,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(68,000)		(128,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	11,881,000		11,750,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(680,000)		(842,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	13,927,000		15,170,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(748,000)		(970,000)
Collateralized Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	290,000		55,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(13,000)		(5,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	10,000		11,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(1,000)		(1,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	300,000		66,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(14,000)		(6,000)
Equity [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	4,781,000		2,795,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(439,000)		(216,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	3,188,000		3,390,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(1,803,000)		(1,634,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	7,969,000		6,185,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	(2,242,000)		(1,850,000)
Fixed Income [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value	85,000		97,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Accumulated Loss	(4,000)		(7,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value	631,000		644,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Accumulated Loss	(56,000)		(58,000)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	716,000		741,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Accumulated Loss	$ (60,000)		$ (65,000)

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investments in debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale that have been in a continuous loss position for twelve months or longer.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27290-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investments in debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale in a continuous loss position.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27337-111563

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This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt and equity securities in an unrealized loss position which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

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Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investments in debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale that have been in a continuous loss position for less than twelve months.

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This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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The amount by which the fair value of an investment is less than the amortized cost basis or carrying amount of that investment at the balance sheet date and the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary, before considering whether or not such amount is recognized in earnings or other comprehensive income.

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