'Joe the Plumber' has passed at 49

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"It's with great sadness that I post this update: Joe passed away earlier this morning and entered our Lord's heavenly home," a friend wrote on the page Sunday. "Joe had been too sick and in too much pain to get out of bed lately and his goal was to get Katie and their kids moved to her hometown surrounded by family."

The Toledo, Ohio, native, who is survived by his wife and four children, became known as "Joe the Plumber" in 2008 after challenging Obama, who was on the campaign trail for president, about his tax plan and how it would negatively affect small businesses.

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Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, who became known as "Joe the Plumber" during Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, has died at the age of 49.

Wurzelbacher died Sunday after battling Stage 3 pancreatic cancer, according to an online fundraising campaign.

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