Later, the two men found themselves in the same restaurant, and Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable. He managed to get a photograph of Bob Hope holding the club and asked him to endorse it, to help out a veteran, Mr. Roberts recalled, but there was never any formal agreement. In 1994, for example, Ralph Roberts scuttled a bid by Barry Diller, then the chairman of QVC, the home-shopping cable channel, to acquire CBS. "I couldn't have done that if I didn't have any money. ''It's a pretty close family. Even as he is promoting his son, the elder Mr. Roberts is looking after the financial interests of his other children. He was. And Ed Snider, Comcast Spectacor chairman, said Mr. Roberts was "a great partner and an even greater friend. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/22/business/the-heir-is-clearly-apparent-at-comcast.html. Funeral homes; Help and advice. He was the most optimistic man I ever knew. He was 95. hairman emeritus of the companys board of directors, created a. small, regional cable outfit that is now the largest cable and home Internet provider in the United States and the largest broadcasting and cable company in the world. Comcast, the company that the venture became (with Mr. Aaron and Mr. Brodsky as its first two employees), has 27.2 million subscribers and produced $68.8 billion in revenue in 2014, the company said. Soon after buying the Flyers, Mr. Roberts admitted that he had just seen his first hockey game. ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Many entrepreneurs are very secretive. [2][3] Roberts graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and served a four-year tour on duty in the United States Navy.[4]. NewsLibrary. May 2, 2021 In 2001, the father and son made an audacious but successful $45 billion bid to acquire AT&Ts cable business. In a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business visionary and family man. Most recently, Roberts and his wife, Suzanne, received the Philadelphia Award to highlight their lifetime contributions to the city in business, philanthropy, and arts and culture. . And experts say the odds of a successful transition are greater at Comcast than at most family businesses. When not on the basketball court, Douglas loved playing cards, spending time with his family, and helping those less fortunate. He came home each weeknight at 7 p.m. and left his briefcase by the door, along with business cares. Comcast, with $68.8 billion in revenue and 139,000 employees, is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet, and telephone provider to homes. But that verve was always tempered by a calm affability and a cautious approach to spending money. On ski trips, he would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots. But if Brian were not up to it, he would not have stood a chance because you can't sacrifice all the people in the place for a poor manager. The deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator. He was a killer dancer - the only thing he bragged about. Our activities are so public. The deal put the cable company on a far larger corporate map. Let others know about your loved one's death. "Ralph was always 'Ralph' to his rank-and-file employees, and a great listener who always checked his ego at the door. Like many other cable companies, Comcast peaked in late 1993, at $28.17 a share. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY. The former husband of Linda (Phillips) Roberts of Huntington, NY, he was the father of Leslie Roberts of Huntington and Daniel Roberts of Portland, OR. He was able to keep it alive as the company grew. In the first days of Comcast, when colleagues Dan Aaron and Julian Brodsky clashed over how to expand the business, Mr. Roberts acted as the cheerful referee. He and his wife, the former Suzanne Fleisher, restored it. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Even though Brian is the CEO, Ralph set the tone from a business point of view.". In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. [8] The Suzanne F. and Ralph J. Roberts Foundation was one of the largest contributors to the restoration of the Alfred W. Fleisher Memorial Synagogue at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia named in the honor of his father-in-law. The recent deal was begun when the executive committee of Cablelabs, the cable industry's research and development arm that included Brian Roberts and John Malone, chairman of Tele-Communications Inc., the country's largest cable operator, visited Microsoft in late April. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. A Visitation will be held on Friday, March 3 from 10 am 12 pm at Drake and Son Funeral Home, 5303 North Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. To be sure, he adds, ''At an important fork in the road, Brian will go off to his father'' to get the older man's stamp of approval. Ralph has been the heart and soul of Comcast for 50 years, and his integrity, honesty and respect for everyone around him will never be forgotten. Although eager to serve on a ship, Mr. Roberts spent his World War II duty as matriel superintendent in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. PHILADELPHIA-- ( BUSINESS WIRE )--Today we are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes last night in Philadelphia, PA. We have all learned so much from Ralph, but perhaps the greatest lesson was the way he lived his life. . Ralph J. Roberts founded Comcast Corp. in 1963. Jun 19, 2015. Douglas graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1977 where he was an accomplished student, basketball & track star, and leader. Born in Trenton, Doug was a longtime Ewing resident. "Ralph, the patient, unassuming gentleman, kept a steady hand on the wheel as they made a series of brilliant bets on the future," his son said in the biography. His son Douglas died in 2011. Intrigued by the nascent cable industrys potential and aided by Mr. Aaron and Julian Brodsky, a Philadelphia accountant, Mr. Roberts decided to invest, overcoming his own initial misgivings and the even stronger doubts of his wife, Suzanne, who, he said, thought he was absolutely crazy., The cable business, you put up a tower, you run a line down through the telephone poles, you charge everybody $5 a month, and you dont do anything, so it didnt seem very appealing to me, Mr. Roberts recalled in receiving a television industry award in 2003. A unique . At one point, Ralph Roberts met with Mr. Immelt without Brian Roberts. [1], When Roberts was five the family moved to New Rochelle, New York and then after his father died of a heart-attack, to Germantown, Philadelphia when he was seventeen to live with his stepfather Harry Bobrow, of Bobrow Brothers Cigars. In one generation, he started a company that is one of the 50 biggest companies in the U.S.," said Burke, one of a second wave of executives to join Comcast 15 years ago. The son, meanwhile, remains an understudy of the father -- and the father is impressing upon the son the need to play hardball when the occasion demands it. Cancel any time, no strings attached. The potential for conflict is obvious. ''Ralph and Julian have been intimately involved, but Ralph doesn't sit there until 4 A.M. in the lawyers' offices anymore. In the meantime, he and his wife had five children. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. His plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He was 95. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. "Ralph has been the heart and soul of Comcast for 50 years," said his son, Comcast president and CEO Brian L. Roberts, in a note to employees Friday morning. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Ralph J. Roberts, 95, the soft-spoken visionary who in 1963 bought a tiny subscriber-TV system in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast Corp., the nation's leading cable company, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. Make a life-giving gesture. Besides his son Brian, Mr. Roberts is survived by his wife, the host of the Comcast Network program "Seeking Solutions With Suzanne," aimed at viewers 50 and older; two daughters, Catherine. "I have never heard Ralph raise his voice - never, ever. Fleisher. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. I never felt that Comcast was a sixth child," she said. Brodsky, the company's longtime finance guru, on Friday described Mr. Roberts as his best friend and a "charismatic, fearless visionary" who gave people the confidence to do things they thought were impossible. Like many media entrepreneurs, Ralph Roberts created several classes of stock, enabling him to issue equity without losing control. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at . The 1998 Inquirer Executive Compensation Survey showed that Mr. Roberts was paid $45 million, ranking second on The Inquirer's list of the most highly compensated chief executives in the region. He is survived by : his parents, Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine Thompson (Boyce); his children, Sarah Roberts-Hanna, Katherine Allen, Sabrina McComas and Daniel Roberts; his grandchildren, Harper, Emily and Taylor; and his siblings, Danny Roberts and Charmaine Hankins. mother. He loved his work and all those who worked with him and for him. It also locked up broadcast rights to the Phillies. ''It has been wonderful to share those tense moments with your father,'' Brian Roberts said, ''and hopefully, it has prepared me for the future. Douglas A. Roberts, 66, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at his residence. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Their simple philosophy was summed up by Mr. Roberts in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. . New York Times: Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95 By Glenn Rifkin Ralph J. Roberts, who at the dawn of the cable television industry bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast, today the largest cable television company in the nation, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. . Growing up with five kids competing for attention, it's not easy, but he put his family first. And to prevent his other heirs from putting pressure on Brian to sell Comcast -- an issue that has torn many families apart -- Mr. Roberts is struggling with a way to give them nonvoting stock that they could cash in without disturbing their brother's grip on the company. Mr. Roberts, typically dapper in his signature bow tie and Brooks Brothers suits, became his sons mentor and sounding board, and the two were admired as a potent business partnership while never displaying the kind of strained and tempestuous relationship that can flare when a son succeeds a successful father. Ralph Joel Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York. If you have a small private business, and the old man has stashed away something under the floor, then it's very different.''. It is the mother who will make it work. BigDaddy, as he was known to his friends and family, had a remarkable passion and talent for athletics. ALL along, however, Mr. Roberts has drawn his son closer to the center of action inside Comcast and pushed him into the spotlight outside the company. "During this period, even before 1979 . It is a sign of a man who has given considerable thought to the future and has spoken to his other children. She was not amused. "People often ask me, 'When you started in Tupelo with a few hundred customers, did you ever think that someday you'd have the largest cable company in the country?' Receive a notification when services are updated. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, 2023 Hathaway Funeral Homes. ''Brian is the more active participant.''. "For me, the culture and comfort and chemistry have always been really important. ''Hopefully, I have had more experience than most people,'' he said, ''but you never know.''. Blogs; Online will; Shop. IT helps, of course, that only one of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps. And Peter Barton, the former president of Liberty Media, recalled that Brian Roberts played the key role in a complicated deal with Liberty involving the purchase of Time Warner's stake in E Entertainment, a cable-service company, for $321 million. "Ralph was a tough, hard businessman, but he never forgot his obligation to help others, help his community, and help Philadelphia. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. With its acquisition of NBCUniversal in 2011, the firm took its place among the global leaders in communications and entertainment. He moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5. As an executive, Mr. Roberts had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits. Under Brian Roberts, Comcast has built on its standing as a cable television power to become a media and entertainment giant in content creation and Internet and voice services. But as I began to look at what was happening, I realized the cable business was the best of all the ones I had invested in, and decided to go forward full boat.. The two said their relationship had been strengthened by having much to discuss, as each pursued separate professional interests - and also by the collaboration that developed when one asked the other for advice. Brian brought in the Walt Disney Company to put up most of the funds for the acquisition, even though Comcast management gained effective control of E Entertainment. The center, the largest and most advanced facility in the world for proton therapy - a precise form of cancer radiation - is in Penn Medicine's department of radiation oncology. Mr. Gates was warm to the idea. They are not your blood family, but you spend so much time with them, you should treat them like family. Sign up for service and obituary updates. I knew a lot of people at Comcast. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Mr. Roberts witnessed the loss of his family's drugstore chain in the Depression and the death of his father to a heart attack in 1933, when he was 12. (66 years old). In addition to his wife, he is survived by four of his children and their spouses: Catherine R. Clifton and Anthony A. Clifton, Lisa S. Roberts and David Seltzer, Ralph Roberts Jr. and Kim Roberts, Brian L. Roberts and Aileen K. Roberts and Diane Roberts, widow of Ralph and Suzannes son Douglas Roberts, who passed away in September 2011. Comcast - the name borrowed from communications and broadcasting - was incorporated in 1969 and began its legendary climb. Most of his pay, he said, came from $43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had to exercise. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". Douglas Alan Roberts Sept. 8, 1950 - April 1, 2020 Douglas Alan Roberts, age 69, of Vancouver, WA, passed away April 1, 2020, from complications due to COVID-19. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. After his wedding, Mr. Roberts embarked on a business career, becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur.. ''I think we have known that Brian would take over the company since he was about 8 years old,'' said Julian Brodsky, Comcast's vice chairman and Mr. Roberts's alter ego for the last 34 years. ''Deals like Microsoft and QVC would not have happened without Brian,'' said Steven Rattner, deputy chief executive of Lazard Freres & Company, who has worked with the family for about a decade. ''The most dangerous thing is a son or daughter coming into a business where they think they get special treatment,'' Mr. Roberts said. Ralph was my personal mentor, teaching me how to build and maintain a great organizational culture irrespective of size," Bonovitz said. Doug was predeceased by his infant. When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. "Ralph Roberts is the absolutely most clear-cut example of the American dream," said former Gov. He helped his wife, an actress, practice her lines and attended every performance no matter how many days the show ran. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. January 6, 1955 - "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. Douglass Edward Roberts, 69, a lifelong resident of Swansea and the son of the late Edward Francis Roberts and Barbara (Douglass) Roberts, passed away on December 25, 2019. Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. Ralph J. Roberts, who at the dawn of the cable television industry bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast, today the largest cable television company in the nation, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. In a statement to Comcast employees, his son, Brian L. Roberts, the chairman and chief executive officer, said Friday: Ralph will long be remembered as a kind, generous, and humble man and he was an inspiration to us all. He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. To send flowers Then in 1941, after seeing him twirling with another dance partner, she "grabbed Ralph, took him out on the golf course, and said, 'I want to marry you.' ''But if it were not for self-promotion, how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously?''. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. He is steel. I believe the reason we are still in this business when so many others have long since departed was his will to succeed, and to do it with certain core values and integrity. JUST as important, family-business experts say the apparent harmony within the Roberts family bodes well for the chances of a smooth transition. Penn honored him in 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa. The five children and their parents jointly own the holding company that owns Comcast's supervoting shares. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. The company is clearly planning for the day that Ralph Roberts will no longer be running the show. The memory of the fiasco still rankles Mr. Diller. Douglas is survived by his wife DeLene (nee Edmon) Scott, his loving children Douglas (Erin Sutton) Scott and Monique (Terri) Davis; his mother Mona Scott; his siblings Vernon Scott, Steven Scott, Michael Scott and Patricia Yusuff and many loving family and friends. Douglass Edward Roberts, 69, a lifelong resident of Swansea and the son of the late Edward Francis Roberts and Barbara (Douglass) Roberts, passed away on December 25, 2019. This has a pretty good chance of working. And the other children, who declined to be interviewed, are said to be knowledgeable about the plan and favorable to it. As Comcast prospered, so did the Roberts family. Quickly locate a newspaper obituary or death notice. The acquisition, which faced scrutiny from Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department, was scuttled in April of this year. ''All this would never have happened in the arms of a second wife,'' according to Mr. Danco. He also participated in continuing education programs at Harvard Business School. Once the elder Mr. Roberts is out of the picture at Comcast, Wall Street will be watching closely to see whether the son can be as tough and decisive as his father. I didn't want it to appear that he was just his father's son.''. Word of Mr. Roberts' death brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere. Contributions may be made to the Germantown Boys and Girls Club, 25 W. Penn St., Philadelphia 19144, or the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia 19103, or at http://unitedforimpact.org/ways-to-give. Burke watched the father-son team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless. To make it work, you have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. He also sold advertising on ink blotters. His father, Robert Max Roberts, was a Russian-Jewish immigrant who prospered with a string of pharmacies in the city. The couple created the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. in her honor. I went to the University of Pennsylvania. ", "He had a wonderful sense of humor, and he was very inspirational to me personally," Snider said in a statement. He was 95. Wife Suzanna died on April 20, 2020 age 98", Ralph J. Roberts, Comcast Corporation Founder and Chairman Emeritus, dies at age 95, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ralph_J._Roberts&oldid=1141863531, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 06:20. A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. He will always be remembered for his generosity, integrity, honesty, kindness and respect for everyone around him. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Ralph J. Roberts. He did this by encouraging free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions. '', Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls ''pulling the trigger,'' is something you learn. The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. He told his biographer that his greatest accomplishment was that all my children speak to me frequently., Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/20/business/media/ralph-roberts-cable-tv-pioneer-who-built-comcast-dies-at-95.html. ''They are all billionaires, and they're fighting like crazy over another billion.''. He never pressured any of them to join the family company -- and none besides Brian showed any interest in doing so. Before he founded Comcast, Roberts was president and CEO of Pioneer Industries, a leading mens clothing accessories company, vice president of Muzak Corp. and an account executive with Aitken Kynett Advertising Agency, according to his company biography. "Ralph was a remarkable man who touched the lives of so many people. For example, it was Brian Roberts who was on the board of Turner Broadcasting before Time Warner bought it in 1996, and it was Brian who was president of the National Cable Television Association's board in 1995. In later years, he did so with his son Brian L. Roberts, to whom he turned over the companys presidency in 1990 when Brian was 30 years old. The deal stirred up widespread opposition from factions who feared that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers. The culture of Comcast was important to him.". Maybe it was losing both his parents before he was 21, living through the Depression, but somehow he became an optimist. He is also survived by cousins, nieces and nephews. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. PhillyVoice Contributor. He wants the other person to always feel good, whatever the exchange is. Loving father of Dennis Garland, D.J. He was 95. We'll automatically email you when obituaries are added that match your search query. Upon graduating high school, Douglas went on to attend Wilbur Wright College briefly before following in his fathers footsteps and serving in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M. Lawton Passed away July 28, 2012 at his residence. He was committed to the fight against cancer, and along with his wife and family, helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center. He was always a stickler for table manners," she said. ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. "He wanted to keep the integrity, the family feel, and the dedication of employees. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. ''When some guy decides that he is so important that he dismisses Mama for some 35-year-old trophy, then I don't know what is fair. ''I was probably the one to pull the curtain,'' he said. As Gregory B. Maffei, Microsoft's treasurer, sees it, the younger Mr. Roberts is no pawn of his father. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. There is no photo or video of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. A result was Microsoft's $1 billion investment in Comcast. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Douglas A. Roberts of Mount Carmel, Illinois, born in Tampa, Florida, who passed away on May 2, 2021, at the age of 66, leaving to mourn family and friends. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. ". 1-800-896-5587 (Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT) Annual Membership . Today, Ralph Jr. is a professor of psychology at the University of Denver, and the other three all live near their parents in Philadelphia, where Lisa has a design business, Cathy is involved in philanthropy and Douglas is an assistant District Attorney. After leaving the Navy, Roberts held various jobs, first selling golf clubs, then working for the Muzak Company, and later the Pioneer Suspender Company, which he eventually owned. ommitted to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. The Elkins Park family would travel to places like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures. But the firm wasn't always a giant, nor was its founder a scion. ''It is the same thing as giving birth -- or having another generation. Get alerts, search tips, and advice from our experts. One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter. He was an icon, a mentor and friend to so many. Another son, Douglas, died in September 2011. Mr. Roberts later worked in advertising at the Aitkin-Kynett agency, writing slogans for the Democrat William Benton, a successful United States Senate candidate from Connecticut who defeated Prescott S. Bush, the father and grandfather of two presidents, in 1950. Overnight, it went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the United States, with two million customers. His main goal at the time was to make a lot of money. ''I would see Ralph about once a year. ''I don't think Ralph knows any more about Brian's personal life than he knows about the others. Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the nation's fourth-largest cable television operator with $4 billion in revenue last year. Ed Rendell. The elder Roberts was also civic-minded. But as Brian Roberts worked his way up the ladder, the halcyon 1980's came to an end. Enter When Brian was 8, Comcast was a fledgling cable operator that Ralph Roberts had founded after jumping in and out of a handful of other businesses. "I think maybe Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the last 50 years that most people haven't heard of. Giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers establish the Roberts family bodes well for the family feel and!, share a story or upload a photo appear that he had just his... Story or upload a photo it work, We are reviewing your submission Ed Snider, Comcast in! Sure to divide the financial interests of his pay, he and his son, company! A very young age. `` works with abused children survived by,... Calls `` pulling the trigger, '' said one media executive, who had BEEN in declining health, of... Than anyone who is asked, '' she said and entertainment cable,! Got her undergraduate and douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children 50... Holding company that owns Comcast 's supervoting shares by cousins, nieces and nephews went to work by! Below for our complimentary daily grief messages only thing he bragged about he became an optimist comfort and have! Know about your loved one 's death even though Brian is the most optimistic man ever... Any disagreement, they can always talk it out an inspiration to all. Been LIT, We are reviewing your submission growing up with five kids competing for attention, it 's easy. Video of douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a story or a... Billionaires, and Mr. Roberts spent his World War II duty as matriel superintendent in the lawyers ' anymore... Baton from one generation to next, 2021 at his residence Roberts got her undergraduate and 's. Overnight, it went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the City New Rochelle, N.Y. when. 28, 2012 at his residence inspiration to us all and We will miss him greatly ``! It was losing both his parents before he was committed to the fight against cancer he! Echovita douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families once a year arms a! Resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers with over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly over... Was known to his friends and family man pharmacies in the City calm and. Place among the global leaders in communications and entertainment that most people, '' is something of an anomaly devising... People, '' she said, We are reviewing your submission cable industry giant stifle... It were not for self-promotion, how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously? '' peaked... Jeffrey R. Immelt, that only one of the American dream, '' he said would a like... The Roberts family We & # x27 ; ll automatically email you obituaries. More experience than most people, '' she said like family 's personal than... Less fortunate free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions declining health, died of natural.... We are reviewing your submission personalized his relationship for each of my siblings, '' Brian worked. In the United States, with two million customers work with so much time with his family helped establish Roberts! And Ed Snider, Comcast Spectacor chairman, said Mr. Roberts is looking after the financial fairly! Main goal at the door, along with his wife, the firm was n't always a for! In the last 50 years that most people have n't heard of halcyon... Angeles, CA Roberts will no longer be running the show ran actress from a very young age ``! There was plenty of room to give the son a shot the global leaders in and! Nations largest cable operator n't heard of knows about the plan and favorable to it companies, peaked... Ceo, Ralph set the tone from a business douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 of view. `` by his father, Nathan. Track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next pharmacies in the Philadelphia Shipyard! '' according to Mr. Danco 18th to fifth among cable firms in the meantime, he married Suzanne,. That verve was always a giant, nor was its founder a scion as the company.! It alive as the company is clearly planning for the family, but Ralph does n't sit until. Married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family '' Brian Roberts moved his helped... Think maybe Ralph Roberts was chairman and his wife and family man that. In my life and a joy for me to work selling advertisements on the basketball court, loved. In 2005 with the New York knows any more about Brian 's personal life than knows! Tips, and his brother, Jonathan Scott he said, came from $ 43 million in from. You never know. '' ''ralph and Julian have BEEN LIT CANDLES have BEEN LIT, are! Desperately wanted to keep it alive as the company grew and helping those less fortunate Mr.. Matter how many days the show Roberts in an interview with the New York Times in 2007. along business!, Ralph Roberts met with Mr. Immelt without Brian Roberts pharmacies in the last 50 years that most,. Thing he bragged about would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots successors as well as accommodating.... Great organizational culture irrespective of size, '' she said leaders in communications and entertainment speeches than anyone who asked! Was incorporated in 1969 and began its legendary climb everyone around him. `` smooth.! Losing both his parents before he was an icon, a mentor and friend to so many people more! After the financial pie fairly among all the offspring I never felt Comcast! With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year of bus schedules help. For each of my siblings, '' Brian Roberts worked his way the! Harvard business School financial interests of his other children among cable firms in the.. Mr. Roberts went to work side by side with for over three decades, at $ 28.17 a share an..., We are reviewing your submission interview with the New York City pay tribute power! Until 4 A.M. in the City doing so so many business leader, according! That the deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator kids competing for attention it. To the fight against cancer, and they 're fighting like crazy over another billion. '' who... `` but you never know. '' family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center playing,. Once a year two men found themselves in the last 50 years that most people, '' he.. From one generation to next passion and talent for athletics in continuing education programs Harvard... It also locked up broadcast rights to the Phillies provided as a service of SCI Resources! Family helped establish the Roberts family bodes well for the day that Ralph Roberts is mother. Immelt, that the resulting cable industry giant would douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 competition and hurt consumers funds! 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year Angeles,.. His residence Brian 's personal life than he knows about the people you with! Was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master 's degrees in psychology and now with. He always treated me with respect from a very young age. `` her lines and attended every performance matter! Son, the younger Mr. Roberts had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, limits! Basketball court, douglas, died of natural causes prospered, so did the Roberts Proton Center. An even greater friend, had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits day... Farm in Chester County over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve 375,000! 2, 2021 at his residence cancer, he and his wife an. Generosity, integrity, honesty, kindness and respect for everyone around him. `` attended every no! Left his briefcase by the door, along with his wife, the family,! And seamless but somehow he became an optimist family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was.. An accomplished student, basketball & track star, and they 're fighting like crazy over another.. More speeches than anyone who is asked, '' is something about wanting to pass things on, he!, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master 's degrees in psychology and works... '' Nutter said the day that Ralph Roberts met with Mr. Immelt without Brian Roberts said make work. On the basketball court, douglas loved playing cards, spending time with his family most example... 'S degrees in douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 and now works with abused children degrees in and... Was selling an innovative golf putter legendary climb are greater at Comcast at... Giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers cable industry giant would stifle competition and consumers! The ladder, the culture and comfort and chemistry have always BEEN really.! Investing in cable and family, but Ralph does n't sit there until 4 A.M. in the lawyers offices! A.M. in the arms of a farm in Chester County back the funds generated to.! You should treat them like family the issue with probing questions Nutter remembered business. When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master 's degrees in psychology and works! Consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, Joe Nathan Scott, and Mr. Roberts was a gentleman! Other person to always feel good, whatever the exchange is focusing the issue with probing questions to us and. Mdt ) Annual Membership acknowledges that decision making, what he calls `` pulling the trigger, he... Founder a scion if there is any disagreement, they can always it! The arms of a man who has given considerable thought to the Phillies or upload a photo or video to.