Samuel Jackson, Don Cheadle and Fans Honor Bernie Mac in Chicago

Chris Rock, Don Cheadle and Steve Harvey joined over 6,000 mourners Saturday at a memorial service for comedian Bernie Mac.

Friends, fans and family members gathered at the House of Church on the South Side of Chicago, the comedian’s home town.

Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama did not attend but sent condolence letters to Mac’s wife Rhonda and daughter Je’Niece.

Mac died last Saturday, Aug. 9, at age 50 of complications from pneumonia. He had been at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital since the middle of July.

Samuel L. Jackson, who co-stars with Mac in the upcoming movie Soul Men, spoke at the church, saying he knew Mac “was having some health issues, but he always said to me every morning that he was always good.”

In a touching eulogy, the added told the crowd, “I hope I can be half the man, half the husband and half the father he was.”

Isaac Hayes, who died Sunday, also stars in the movie, and Hayes’ music was played during the service.

Jackson observed that Mac didn’t mind the loss of privacy that comes with fame.

“He never turned that kid down for an autograph,” Jackson said. “He always had time to shake a hand. He was always that kid from Chicago who wanted to make everybody happy and everybody laugh.”

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