Already in his 40s, he was approached by a Philadelphia acquaintance named Dan Aaron, who alerted him to a 1,200-subscriber cable television system for sale in Tupelo. 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. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. In its infancy, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the Detroit suburbs, and Pennsylvania. That was extremely important to him, that we would sit around the table - all seven of us. Committed to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. Create an obituary. He felt, 'This doesn't have to be about me.' [12] They had five children: Catherine, Lisa, Ralph Jr. (Rob), Brian, and Douglas (who died in 2011);[2] and eight grandchildren. Daughter Lisa said Mr. Roberts was an attentive father. Mr. Roberts said, according to his biography. 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 95. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Brian, born in 1959, was the fourth. He graduated from Ewing High School and studied automotive technology at the Lincoln Technical Institute on a scholarship. 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. 1-800-896-5587 (Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT) Annual Membership . Without being asked, Mrs. Roberts volunteered her opinion that Ralph and Brian clicked as few business partners do. [5] They incorporated in 1969 as Comcast Corporation, a name Roberts invented by combining the words communications and broadcasting. 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. In addition to his wife, son, and daughter, Mr. Roberts is survived by daughter Catherine R. Clifton; son Ralph Jr.; and eight grandchildren. can stop at any time. Word of Mr. Roberts' death brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere. IN THE CARE OF. "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. After graduating from Parkrose High School in 1968, Doug attended Willamette University, then he graduated with a BA and Masters in Public . Even as he is promoting his son, the elder Mr. Roberts is looking after the financial interests of his other children. ''Ralph and Julian have been intimately involved, but Ralph doesn't sit there until 4 A.M. in the lawyers' offices anymore. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY. He never pressured any of them to join the family company -- and none besides Brian showed any interest in doing so. The magic words, according to Mr. Roberts, were "Yes, dear.". The Gettys or that family in Texas,'' he continued, referring to Harold Simmons, the Texas investor who is at war with his daughters. Most of his pay, he said, came from $43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had to exercise. "Ralph Roberts is the absolutely most clear-cut example of the American dream," said former Gov. "We would have dinner as a family. The potential for conflict is obvious. Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. "It's just a miracle," Brodsky said. "I never had a bad idea in working for him for 30-plus years," Roberts said. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. "These guys go out there and kill each other!". Since I was 12, all I wanted to do was work with my dad, Brian Roberts said in an interview for this obituary. Burke watched the father-son team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless. Douglas A. Roberts, 66, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at his residence. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. The deal stirred up widespread opposition from factions who feared that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers. Private. He did this by encouraging free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions. On ski trips, he would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots. He was 95. And her husband reminisced about family trips. [4] In 1998, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Roberts into their Hall of Fame. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/22/business/the-heir-is-clearly-apparent-at-comcast.html. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It is a sign of a man who has given considerable thought to the future and has spoken to his other children. The deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator. I knew a lot of people at Comcast. [9], In 1942, Roberts married Suzanne Fleisher,[10] who was also Jewish,[2] an actress and playwright, and daughter of philanthropist Alfred W. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. The five children and their parents jointly own the holding company that owns Comcast's supervoting shares. . '', The son got the point. Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the nation's fourth-largest cable television operator with $4 billion in revenue last year. 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. Mr. Immelt was aware that many deals dont get concluded, the elder Mr. Roberts was quoted as saying in The Incredible Dream, a 2012 biography by William Novak, and he wanted some reassurance from the father of the groom that we wouldnt let this opportunity slip through our fingers.. Doug was predeceased by his infant. He was needed there because of his business acumen, his superiors said. The culture of Comcast was important to him.". California residents do not sell my data request. The 1990's have been far tougher, as regulation and skepticism about the industry's future in the face of rival technologies hurt cable stocks. 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. "When?" Brian L. Roberts (born June 28, 1959) is an American billionaire businessman, and the chairman and CEO of Comcast, an American company providing cable, entertainment, and communications products and services which was founded by his father, Ralph J. Roberts. Published. [4] He was awarded honorary degrees from both Holy Family College and the University of Pennsylvania, where he received their Joseph P. Wharton Award. No one was punished for broaching a new idea. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. . After selling the firm, he set up shop in 1961 in Bala Cynwyd. A result was Microsoft's $1 billion investment in Comcast. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren. In a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business visionary and family man. [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]. Many entrepreneurs are very secretive. 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. But during the Depression, Mr. Roberts recalled, ''my father died, and we lost all our money. 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. . Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. 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. "I couldn't have done that if I didn't have any money. Then, chuckling, he added, ''It was probably a very good lesson for Brian -- no question about it. ''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. Like many media entrepreneurs, Ralph Roberts created several classes of stock, enabling him to issue equity without losing control. Douglas P. Roberts LEESBURG, FL Douglas P. Roberts, 54, of Leesburg, FL, passed away Aug, 18, 2014. At least Comcast has the financial flexibility to make the transition work. But the son wanted to stay in the family business, so Mr. Roberts started him off in the trenches, stringing cable in New Kensington, Pa. ''We were lucky because the cable business was growing and growing, '' Mr. Roberts recalled. 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. That's his legacy: not leaving his children wanting. Your email will not be used for any other purpose. A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. Roberts, Craig Mort, Brenda Bachura, Bill McMenemy, and Peter McMenemy. ''Hopefully, I have had more experience than most people,'' he said, ''but you never know.''. He was the most optimistic man I ever knew. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. ''I used to talk to Julian all the time,'' recalled Gordon Crawford, a senior vice president at the Capital Group, whose funds hold 8.1 percent of Comcast's class A stock. "I have never heard Ralph raise his voice - never, ever. Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. As an executive, Mr. Roberts had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Ralph is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Would you like to offer Douglas A. Robertss loved ones a condolence message? 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. In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. ''I was probably the one to pull the curtain,'' he said. A few weeks ago, the five Roberts children -- leaving behind both mates and children -- spent a day with their parents for freewheeling talks on everything from personal concerns to financial matters. May 2, 2021 In a high-pressure corporate world that demands long hours from its executives, Mr. Roberts was proud to say that he was sure to be home for dinner with his wife and children nearly every night. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Though his father called Comcast a family business, Brian was the only one of the children to show a serious interest in working with his father. That was hardly a coincidence. ''It is the same thing as giving birth -- or having another generation. He was always a stickler for table manners," she said. He had resided in Leesburg for the past two years. In 1994, Comcast, which had helped start QVC Network, a West Chester-based home-shopping company, made a $2.2 billion bid to buy a majority stake in the company. ''It's a pretty close family. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and perhaps most importantly, a kind and humble human being. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes Thursday, June 18 in Philadelphia, PA. Later, the two men found themselves in the same restaurant, and Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M. Lawton Passed away July 28, 2012 at his residence. Mr. Gates was warm to the idea. In 2011, fulfilling the Robertses long-held interest in NBC, Comcast acquired a majority stake in NBCUniversal from General Electric for $6.5 billion; in doing so, it became one of the industrys leading content producers. Investors who know him say he always prefers to remain in the background and let others like Mr.Brodsky, the vice chairman, take the limelight. (66 years old). Even though Brian is the CEO, Ralph set the tone from a business point of view.". ''We moved into an apartment with my aunt in Philadelphia. ommitted to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. Make a life-giving gesture. Enter Questions? Let others know about your loved one's death. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". He loved my mother and my entire family so much. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. In addition, Ralph Roberts personally owns another 5.2 million nonvoting shares, as well as 319,00 class A shares. When the club proved to be poorly made, however the shaft bent like a pretzel, Mr. Roberts said he quickly exited the business. "I will really miss him. Now Brian typically takes the lead.''. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at . Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo though is... Show your support let others know about your loved one lasting tribute for a loved 's. '' Nutter said, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the elder Mr. Roberts has reason to track the family-run. 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