Washington, December 24: US President-elect Barack Obama scattered his late grandmother's ashes in the Pacific Ocean off Honululu.

The first African-American to be elected President of the United States mourned the death of Madelyn Dunham, 86, in a private church service on December 23.

The former junior United States Senator from Illinois headed towards the shoreline after formally paying tribute to his late grandmother, one of the key figures in his life who had died on November 2 this year, two days before he won the election.

His wife, Michelle, daughters, Malia and Sasha, and sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng along with many other friends had attended the hour-long service, reports Politico. com.

Dunham, who had been suffering from cancer, was said to have followed her grandson's campaign from a television set in the Honolulu apartment where she had raised him.

Obama, who often mentioned Dunham in his speeches, had suspended his campaign in October to return to visit his grandmother for the final time.

During his address at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, he had said: "She''s the one who taught me about hard work. She''s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life.

"She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she''s watching tonight and that tonight is her night as well." (ANI)