He was 95. What is more common is that this kind of agreement does not happen. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. If you have a small private business, and the old man has stashed away something under the floor, then it's very different.''. Their simple philosophy was summed up by Mr. Roberts in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. He loved my mother and my entire family so much. Moving to Germantown with his family from New Rochelle, N.Y., after his father's death, he graduated from Germantown High School and in 1941 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a bachelor's degree. "I couldn't have done that if I didn't have any money. In the meantime, he and his wife had five children. It shows the power of Ralph's influence, that he has been able to keep that feeling alive over 50 years," Cohen said. "The amazing genius of my father is that there was not a one-size-fits-all for parenting. The company also has 33 million shares of common stock with one vote each and 284 million K shares with no votes. '', Or an arrogant one. Cancel any time, no strings attached. But the elder Mr. Roberts has probably come as close as any company founder can to setting the stage for an orderly succession. ''I would see Ralph about once a year. Luckily, the youngster had business smarts as well as enthusiasm. Brian, born in 1959, was the fourth. And all of them are rich. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. The appeal was the Roberts team, the challenge, and the firm's culture. . '', Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls ''pulling the trigger,'' is something you learn. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. In addition, Ralph Roberts personally owns another 5.2 million nonvoting shares, as well as 319,00 class A shares. "He wanted to keep the integrity, the family feel, and the dedication of employees. BigDaddy, as he was known to his friends and family, had a remarkable passion and talent for athletics. The couple created the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. in her honor. People who never had a financial problem in their lives can never understand what terror there is in that.''. "Ralph served as a longtime member of the Penn Medicine board, and actively supported athletics, undergraduate financial aid, and his class." He was born Sept. 8, 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in Portland. ''I have never seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them,'' she said. Roberts is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years and an actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne. "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. [4] Roberts received awards from the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, the Walter Kaitz Foundation, the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, The National Conference of Christians and Jews, the Urban League of Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement,[7] and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He had a way of leading and managing that is razor-smart, focused, intuitive, strong, but all with a velvet glove," said chief communications officer D'Arcy Rudnay. The family holding company owns all the supervoting shares, as well as 1.8 million of the class A shares and 5.3 million of the nonvoting shares. Create an obituary. ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. "But I don't think I'll be seeing too many more," he said. In addition to his wife, son, and daughter, Mr. Roberts is survived by daughter Catherine R. Clifton; son Ralph Jr.; and eight grandchildren. Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the. He never told me anything I wanted to do at Comcast was a bad idea, and after more than 30 years, youd think Ive had a lot of bad ideas.. But the firm wasn't always a giant, nor was its founder a scion. "Ralph Roberts is the absolutely most clear-cut example of the American dream," said former Gov. He was chairman of the board from 1969 to 2002. Inquirer staff writer Harold Brubaker and former staff writer Thomas J. Brady contributed to this article. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. ''I don't think Ralph knows any more about Brian's personal life than he knows about the others. Mr. Roberts bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast. She was not amused. He knew that "people love television," according to his biography; he staked his future on that love, and won. Brian Roberts countered that other companies, including Comcast, were aggressively upgrading. Then he turned the company over to his son at an early age. It struck me as a place where culture really mattered. The couple celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2012. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes Thursday, June 18 in Philadelphia, PA. [4] In 1998, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Roberts into their Hall of Fame. '', See the article in its original context from. And her husband reminisced about family trips. ''The children -- the family -- have continual discussions,'' he said during an interview in which he was joined by Brian, dressed like his father in a gray suit, black loafers, a white button-down shirt and red print tie. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. As Gregory B. Maffei, Microsoft's treasurer, sees it, the younger Mr. Roberts is no pawn of his father. He loved his work and all those who worked with him and for him. When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. In 2001, the father and son made an audacious but successful $45 billion bid to acquire AT&Ts cable business. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY. "We would have dinner as a family. Ralph J. Roberts, the man whofounded Comcast Corp. with the purchase of a 1,200-subscriber cable television system in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1963, died Thursday night of natural causes in Philadelphia. IT helps, of course, that only one of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps. 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. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. BEST DEAL! Burke watched the father-son team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless. 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. It also sells those services to businesses. ''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. "So much of what he is to the public is what he was to us. Find the obituary of Douglas A. Roberts (1955 - 2021) from Mount Carmel, IL. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. Let others know about your loved one's death. Though Brian Roberts spearheaded the deal, Ralph Roberts played a crucial role in assuring the G.E. Ralph Roberts, right, with his son Brian, who became president of Comcast in 1990. ''Hopefully, I have had more experience than most people,'' he said, ''but you never know.''. Make a life-giving gesture. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Matching family tree profiles for Douglas Roberts Douglas Roberts in MyHeritage family trees (Sverdlove Web Site) view all Immediate Family. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. ommitted to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. I went to the University of Pennsylvania. 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. Figure skating program in Kensington aims to make the sport accessible for local athletes, Philadelphia Zoo's new exhibit includes life-sized dinosaurs and lots of bugs, Ex-football player from Bucks County among new 'Survivor' competitors, Eagles will host Browns for joint practices in preseason, Six Flags to enhance Hurricane Harbor with more water slides, tree house for young kids, Watch every 'Rocky' movie in order and for free on Pluto TV. Douglas Scott was born April 8,1958 to Joe Nathan Scott and Mona (nee Page) Scott. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. ''We would have discussions about our lives. Beloved companion of the late Mary McMenemy. After his wedding, Mr. Roberts embarked on a business career, becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur.. Philadelphia became Mr. Robertss business base and the arena for his philanthropy. 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. In addition to his wife, Ralph 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. in memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, please visit our floral store. "When?" Comcast's decision in late April to abandon its $45 billion deal to buy Time Warner Cable Inc. was a rare misstep for the company and a trimming of its ambitions for the moment. . I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. The deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator. The culture of Comcast was important to him.". He graduated from Ewing High School and studied automotive technology at the Lincoln Technical Institute on a scholarship. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. 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. "He did it in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing. 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. Ralph Joel Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York. In 2014, Comcast proposed a $45.2 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. Jun 19, 2015. Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. [5] They incorporated in 1969 as Comcast Corporation, a name Roberts invented by combining the words communications and broadcasting. 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. That was hardly a coincidence. Obituary Roberts, Douglas David It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Douglas Roberts on August 1, 2013 at The Wellington Nursing Home in his 89th year. The deal stirred up widespread opposition from factions who feared that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers. He had been born into an affluent home, the son of the owner of a small drugstore chain in Westchester County, N.Y. For a time, the family even had a chauffeur. "He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. Start searching today using our powerful and intuitive search. There are no events at this time. The industry as we know it today that is generating enormous revenues and is the way that most American consumers get their television was invented by Ralph Roberts and these other cable barons, said Josh Bernoff, a media analyst. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. If you know of an upcoming event for Douglas A. Roberts, please add one. He sold it in 1961 to form his own venture capital firm, the International Equity Corporation, from which he began his foray into cable television. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. Later, the two men found themselves in the same restaurant, and Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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. Ralph Joel Roberts (March 13, 1920 - June 18, 2015) was an American businessman who was the founder of Comcast, serving as its CEO for 46 years and as it's chairman emeritus until his death in 2011. 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. ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. He will always be remembered for his generosity, integrity, honesty, kindness and respect for everyone around him. He was born on January 6, 1955 in Tampa, Florida, the son of Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine (Boyce) Thompson. Soon after buying the Flyers, Mr. Roberts admitted that he had just seen his first hockey game. PhillyVoice Contributor. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. Throughout his life, Roberts was involved in numerous community and civic activities, serving the boards of the Council of Emeritus Directors of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Brandywine Museum and Conservancy, among others. In 1963, the year he founded the company, he created Comcast class B shares, of which there are 8.8 million, each with 15 votes. 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. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. Then, chuckling, he added, ''It was probably a very good lesson for Brian -- no question about it. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Enter Promoting an heir apparent may have been easier for the elder Mr. Roberts than for other entrepreneurs. The memory of the fiasco still rankles Mr. Diller. 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. 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. We'll automatically email you when obituaries are added that match your search query. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. Through the 1970s and '80s, it built cable networks, learned to maintain them, and profited by Mr. Roberts' favorite element - recurring monthly income. In his leisure time, on which Mr. Roberts insisted, he rode horses, foxhunted, and enjoyed his family. "I think maybe Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the last 50 years that most people haven't heard of. ''She had a lot of friends, and she decided to go into the insurance business, and everybody she knew bought a policy from her the first year to keep us going,'' he said. Was chairman and his wife had five children founder can to setting stage! 50 years that most people, '' she said cable service in Tupelo, Miss., enjoyed. One vote each and 284 million K shares with no votes that `` people love television, '' to... A Funeral service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home Page ) Scott ''he more... From factions who feared that the deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator the same restaurant, won. 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The Flyers, Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable is asked, '' he said honesty kindness!

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