California memorial service for Cornelius next week
By STELLA FOSTER February 10, 2012 12:06AM
Don Cornelius
Updated: March 11, 2012 8:54AM
A memorial service — with tributes from Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson — will be held for “Soul Train” founder Don Cornelius Feb. 16 in Hollywood Hills, Calif.
Cornelius, the former 75-year-old South Side native who died Feb. 1 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his California home, will be memorialized at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
His family is expecting around 1,000 friends and family members at the “semi-private” service. The Rev. Jesse Jackson will give the eulogy. Others expected to pay tribute are Lionel Richie, George Duke and Donnie McClurkin.
On Thursday, Cornelius was cremated.
Son Tony Cornelius said in a phone interview, “I want to thank all those well-wishers and fans for their love and support during this very difficult time, and I am pushing hard to establish the Don Cornelius Foundation, which will help and support families of suicide victims.”
On Wednesday, around 200 Chicagoans paid tribute to Cornelius at the Radio Hall of Fame Gallery at the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
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