Fitting end for ‘SpongeBob’

His smiling square sponge became a cultural phenomenon, and his final resting place takes his story full circle.

Stephen Hillenburg, the marine biologist who went on to create the wildly popular “SpongeBob SquarePants” franchise, was cremated after his death at age 57 last week, and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean, his death certificate obtained Thursday by TMZ.com revealed.

The website said the ashes were scattered at least 500 yards off the coast of Los Angeles County.

Hillenburg died of heart failure related to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, on Nov. 26, the death certificate said.

The cartoonist publicly revealed his ALS diagnosis in March 2007.