States with fewest cremations

According to Anne R. Carey & Sam Ward, Where cremation is least common, USA Today, Nov. 10, 2009, at 1A, the states with the lowest creation rates are as follows:

Mississippi — 10.4%
Alabama — 12.9%
Kentucky — 13.2%
Tennessee — 15.1%
Louisana — 17.4%

The average rate in the United States is 35%.  Any ideas why these states have such a low creation rate?