Owner of Obama's house passes away

The Jakarta Post, Wed, 11/05/2008 10:29 AM   

JAKARTA: After suffering from prostate cancer, the owner of the house where U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama lived during his childhood, passed away Tuesday morning in Jakarta. 

Tata Abubakar Soerono, 78, was buried in Tanah Kusir Cemetery with a military ceremony after dying on the way to hospital. 

Obama's family rented Tata's house at Jl. Taman Amir Hamzah 22 from 1969 to 1970. 

According to Menteng resident Slamet Danuaji, 50, Tata was close to Obama. 

"He treated Obama like his own son, and they were good friends," said Slamet to kompas.com in Jakarta. 

The relationship between Obama and Tata was well known to local residents, particularly those in the community for many years. 

"They used to have fun together. Obama was still in elementary school at that time," Slamet added. 

According to his daughter, Sandra, her father passed away at 5:20 am on the way to St. Carolus Hospital in Salemba, Jakarta. 

"We brought him to hospital after he said he was sick, but he never made it," Sandra said. 

Tata, who was a retired naval officer, is survived by his wife and five children.