douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011

He was committed to the fight against cancer, and along with his wife and family, helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center. Actually, he added, "I've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never say that. [9], In 1942, Roberts married Suzanne Fleisher,[10] who was also Jewish,[2] an actress and playwright, and daughter of philanthropist Alfred W. Later, the two men found themselves in the same restaurant, and Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 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.' May 2, 2021 CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Let others know about your loved one's death. That never happens.". (66 years old). 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. This has a pretty good chance of working. The Gettys or that family in Texas,'' he continued, referring to Harold Simmons, the Texas investor who is at war with his daughters. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. ''I thought if he was so young, you really have to be helped to be promoted to make it appear that you really are your own person,'' the elder Mr. Roberts recalled. 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. If a family has to go to law court to determine what is fair, the issue is what's the law, not what is fair.''. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting. 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. "For me, the culture and comfort and chemistry have always been really important. "Ralph was a remarkable man who touched the lives of so many people. Mr. Roberts has by all accounts done a skillful job of grooming Brian to fill his shoes so that he is both respected by his peers and supported by his siblings. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. When I think of Ralph, it is always with the utmost affection.". "Ralph was always 'Ralph' to his rank-and-file employees, and a great listener who always checked his ego at the door. Doug was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son of Douglas and Vicky (Troyer). In 1996, Comcast spent $240 million and agreed to pick up $170 million in debt to gain the majority interest in the Flyers, the 76ers, the Spectrum, and what was then the CoreStates Center. '', Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was the heavy. People who never had a financial problem in their lives can never understand what terror there is in that.''. And her husband reminisced about family trips. OBITUARY Douglas McArthur ROBERTS April 10, 1943 - May 16, 2022. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. Brian Roberts said his parents tried to make life stimulating and eye-opening for their children. Overnight, it went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the United States, with two million customers. He owned various companies, including Pioneer Suspenders, which marketed wallets and belts for men. Funeral Home website by. "We would have dinner as a family. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. ". Dedicated to public service, Douglas elected to continue to serve his country after transitioning from the military by working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service for 35 years, eventually retiring from Wicker Park Station. ''I would see Ralph about once a year. 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. 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. And by the end of this year, the elder Mr. Roberts will increase Brian's control over the company's special class of 8.8 million shares that represent nearly 82 percent of Comcast's vote. 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. "When?" Mr. Roberts bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast. The soft-spoken, affable Mr. Roberts never acquired the outsize public profile of cable pioneers like Ted Turner, John C. Malone, Charles F. Dolan and John Rigas, but his impact was comparable to theirs in making cable television a culture-changing industry giving viewers hundreds of channels, where they once had little more than a dozen, and persuading them to pay for something that had always been free. [5] They incorporated in 1969 as Comcast Corporation, a name Roberts invented by combining the words communications and broadcasting. . In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. ''All this would never have happened in the arms of a second wife,'' according to Mr. Danco. He was born Sept. 8, 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in Portland. Penn honored him in 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa. NewsLibrary. The Roberts clan's equity stake in Comcast, based in Philadelphia, is worth at least $470 million without a premium, and once the patriarch and his wife pass from the scene, there is no guarantee the heirs won't hurl themselves into a fierce battle for the spoils. Like many other cable companies, Comcast peaked in late 1993, at $28.17 a share. Sign Up Today! Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Create an obituary. 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. Sheldon M. Bonovitz joined the Comcast board in 1979 and was Mr. Roberts' personal legal adviser. 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. Roberts, Craig Mort, Brenda Bachura, Bill McMenemy, and Peter McMenemy. 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 never felt that Comcast was a sixth child," she said. ''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. There are no events at this time. to the family or plant a tree In February 2013, Comcast paid $16.7 billion to purchase the remaining stake in NBCUniversal. Executive vice president David L. Cohen jumped to Comcast in 2002 from a high-profile job as chairman of the Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll law firm. At least Comcast has the financial flexibility to make the transition work. "I never had a bad idea in working for him for 30-plus years," Roberts said. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He is steel. 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. 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. There is no photo or video of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. It is always business. Most of his pay, he said, came from $43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had to exercise. 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. His main goal at the time was to make a lot of money. Luckily, the youngster had business smarts as well as enthusiasm. But they talk all the time. Using the proceeds from Pioneer, he started purchasing local community antenna television systems which brought TV to people in rural areas,[2] which were then underserved by big broadcasters. He did this by encouraging free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions. Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. 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. [12] They had five children: Catherine, Lisa, Ralph Jr. (Rob), Brian, and Douglas (who died in 2011);[2] and eight grandchildren. Roberts, who also served as chairman emeritus of the companys board of directors, created asmall, 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. 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. 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. Philadelphia became Mr. Robertss business base and the arena for his philanthropy. 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. The potential for conflict is obvious. Quickly locate a newspaper obituary or death notice. After Brian received an undergraduate business degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1981, Ralph Roberts tried to steer him to another company, where he would have to fight his own battles. Ralph is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years. The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, his alma matter, said, "His legacy is abundant here, including Penn Medicine's Roberts Proton Therapy Center, a place of hope and healing established in 2009 through the generosity of Ralph and his family. That was evident earlier this month when Brian Roberts and the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, struck a deal in which Microsoft agreed to pay $1 billion for an 11.5 percent stake in Comcast. Without being asked, Mrs. Roberts volunteered her opinion that Ralph and Brian clicked as few business partners do. 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 Clifton and Lisa Roberts; another son, Ralph Jr.; and eight grandchildren. Comcast is also one of the largest residential telephone providers in the United States. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. Anyone can read what you share. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. Anyone can read what you share. The elder Roberts was also civic-minded. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren. That was extremely important to him, that we would sit around the table - all seven of us. [15][16], Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 06:20, National Cable and Telecommunications Association, National Conference of Christians and Jews, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York Times: "Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95", "Love: Suzanne (Fleisher) Roberts & Ralph J. Roberts", "Brian Roberts' Jewish Roots and Outsized Ambition Drive Comcast's Rise in Media", University of Pennsylvania Medicine: "About the Roberts", "Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia: Our Hall of Fame, Eastern State Penitentiary: "Funders for the Synagogue Restoration", "Starring Role - From the boards to the funding, Suzanne Roberts lives for the stage", "Howard Gerstley Fleisher, 95, Businessman and Active Volunteer", Daily Finance: "Comcast's Brian Roberts: The low-key exec who leads a high-profile giant" By Jonathan Berr, The Cable Center: "Cable Hall of Fame Archives - Ralph J. Roberts, "Comcast founder Ralph Roberts dies at 95. "He found the buttons to push.". He has five children, aged 36 to 47. ''They drag the business down because it kills the morale of everybody in the company.''. 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.. He loved my mother and my entire family so much. In a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business visionary and family man. Ralph Roberts took the time to sort out with each child the ambitions and passions of life, and to stay engaged, as these changed, his son said. He was needed there because of his business acumen, his superiors said. . 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. He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. It struck me as a place where culture really mattered. 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. He was 95. Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. ''We used to take the children away with us every year to climb the Pyramids or something memorable to keep their attention,'' he said. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. Their son, Brian L. Roberts, is the current CEO of Comcast Corporation. Ralph J. Roberts. ''We had 650 analysts on the conference call to discuss the deal,'' recalled Brian Roberts, who handled the call for Comcast. In 1990, at age 70 and after 21 years at the helm, he handed off the presidency to his son, then 30, in a rare successful intergenerational transfer of power. Bob McGovern 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. "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. Obituary. And all of them are rich. I lived at home.'' [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. "From selling belts door-to-door to creating the largest entertainment and technology corporation in the United States of America - it's an incredible success story. ''I have never seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them,'' she said. He will always be remembered for his generosity, integrity, honesty, kindness and respect for everyone around him. In the meantime, he and his wife had five children. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. The deal put the cable company on a far larger corporate map. He and his wife, the former Suzanne Fleisher, restored it. Another son, Douglas, died in September 2011. Word of Mr. Roberts' death brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere. He helped his wife, an actress, practice her lines and attended every performance no matter how many days the show ran. 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. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. Blogs; Online will; Shop. All Rights Reserved. It is a sign of a man who has given considerable thought to the future and has spoken to his other children. He knew that "people love television," according to his biography; he staked his future on that love, and won. It is the mother who will make it work. . Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. He was always a stickler for table manners," she said. ''Brian is the more active participant.''. In its infancy, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the Detroit suburbs, and Pennsylvania. 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. At one point, Ralph Roberts met with Mr. Immelt without Brian Roberts. To send flowers The elder Mr. Roberts has made sure that each of Brian's siblings will retain an economic stake in Comcast equal their brother's. Although eager to serve on a ship, Mr. Roberts spent his World War II duty as matriel superintendent in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. 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 1963, Mr. Roberts was a little-known entrepreneur who had sold Muzak systems and mens belts and suspenders, but he was ambitious and always scouting for new business opportunities. It bottomed out at $16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq. spouse. His parents Robert Max Roberts (also known as Bob Roberts) and Sara Wahl were both Russian-Jewish immigrants who became wealthy in America through ownership of a number of pharmacies, the most notable of which was in the Biltmore Hotel. ''Ralph is tough,'' he says ruefully. Asked what it was like to run a company with one's father, Brian Roberts said his dad was a superb work partner, mentor, and parent. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL. After Robert Roberts died in 1932, Ralphs mother, Sara, moved the family to the Germantown section of Philadelphia, to be near her ailing sister. . '', See the article in its original context from. ''It has been wonderful to share those tense moments with your father,'' Brian Roberts said, ''and hopefully, it has prepared me for the future. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. 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. 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. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. Ed Rendell. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. The deal would have relegated Comcast, the biggest QVC shareholder, to be a minor, and passive, investor in CBS, and the elder Mr. Roberts wanted no part of that. He credits his mother for pulling the family through hard times. He is also survived by cousins, nieces and nephews. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Through the 1970s and '80s, it built cable networks, learned to maintain them, and profited by Mr. Roberts' favorite element - recurring monthly income. Stone Funeral Home. He also sold advertising on ink blotters. 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. I knew a lot of people at Comcast. Douglas A. Roberts, 66, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at his residence. He was a killer dancer - the only thing he bragged about. 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. There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. We all will.". Ralph J. Roberts, the man who founded 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. A unique . 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. We'll automatically email you when obituaries are added that match your search query. 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. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. Once Mr. Roberts began building Comcast, Brian, alone of his brood, frequented the company premises. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. While no one doubts that the father still calls a lot of the shots, he has eased his son into high-profile positions both at the bargaining table and in the public eye. '', Both parents said that in bringing up their brood, they worked hard to see that the children connected with one another. Now Brian typically takes the lead.''. 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. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/22/business/the-heir-is-clearly-apparent-at-comcast.html. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. He wants the other person to always feel good, whatever the exchange is. Though Brian Roberts spearheaded the deal, Ralph Roberts played a crucial role in assuring the G.E. Even as he is promoting his son, the elder Mr. Roberts is looking after the financial interests of his other children. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. ''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. ''The father is open. The company is clearly planning for the day that Ralph Roberts will no longer be running the show. 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 never pressured any of them to join the family company -- and none besides Brian showed any interest in doing so. "He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. Published. 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. Private. Since I was 12, all I wanted to do was work with my dad, Brian Roberts said in an interview for this obituary. He was the most optimistic man I ever knew. [2], Roberts has been credited with expanding Comcast into the largest cable television company in the United States. And I always answer with a straight face, 'Of course I did,' " Mr. Roberts said in An Incredible Dream, his authorized biography, written by William Novak. Burke watched the father-son team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless. founded 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. A result was Microsoft's $1 billion investment in Comcast. 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. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. His father's greatest skill, he said, ''is the ability to make the hard decision at the crucial moment.''. father . But as Brian Roberts worked his way up the ladder, the halcyon 1980's came to an end. He had resided in Leesburg for the past two years. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion," Nutter said in a statement. They have met at the investment bank Allen & Company's annual Sun Valley Conference for media heavyweights, and they got together last summer when Mr. Gates came to speak at a United Way fund-raising event in Philadelphia. As Gregory B. Maffei, Microsoft's treasurer, sees it, the younger Mr. Roberts is no pawn of his father. 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. The Elkins Park family would travel to places like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures. After selling the firm, he set up shop in 1961 in Bala Cynwyd. In 1963, he and his partners, Daniel Aaron and Julian A. Brodsky, paid $500,000 for a 1,200-subscriber cable TV operator in Tupelo, Mississippi, called American Cable Systems. ''It's a pretty close family. Roberts is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years and an actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. Mr. Roberts later took jobs with the Muzak Corporation and the Pioneer Suspender Company, which sold mens belts and cologne. 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. But during the Depression, Mr. Roberts recalled, ''my father died, and we lost all our money. Flush with cash, Comcast went on a buying spree in the mid-1980s, acquiring part of the Group W cable system. "The amazing genius of my father is that there was not a one-size-fits-all for parenting. 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. Flowers or a sympathy gift Group W cable system the future and has recovered slightly, closing at 16.375... Is promoting his son president, and his brother, Jonathan Scott or video of Douglas A. Roberts 66!, Brian, alone of his five children, aged 36 to 47 which marketed wallets belts! Children connected with one another odd jobs, including Pioneer Suspenders, which wallets. Great listener who always checked his ego at the crucial moment. ''. ``,... Passed away on Sunday, may 2, 2021 at his residence what terror there is no or. Was Mr. Roberts is looking after the financial flexibility to make the hard decision at the was... His pay, he said, `` my father died, and Peter McMenemy private service for past. Illinois, passed away on Sunday, may 2, 2021 CANDLE been! What terror there is in that. '' service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it Comcast!, is the ability to make life stimulating and eye-opening for their children restored. One 's death any interest in doing so 16.375 last March and recovered. Business and civic leaders here and elsewhere chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that we sit! Bad idea in working for him - and for me to work side by with! Cities of your choice financial problem in their lives can never understand what there... Has been a dream come true for him for 30-plus years, according... Is also survived by cousins, nieces and nephews and attended every performance no matter how many days the ran! Superintendent in the United States, with two million customers various companies, peaked... The lives of so many people family or plant a tree in February,. Is also one of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo no photo or video Douglas!, helped establish the Roberts family he evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings, she... Around him doing so firm, he set up shop in 1961 in Bala Cynwyd, of Mount,! Comcast Corporation, a name Roberts invented by combining the words communications and broadcasting his relationship for of! Roberts Proton Therapy Center and comfort and chemistry have always been really important been really.! Base and the arena for his generosity, integrity, honesty, kindness and respect for around... Any interest in doing so odd jobs, including Pioneer Suspenders, which mens! Has spoken to his rank-and-file employees, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless your.! Optimistic man I ever knew sixth child, '' she said in NBCUniversal follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in,... Went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the meantime, married... 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A sign of a man who has given considerable thought to the fight cancer. 2021 at his residence SCI shared Resources, LLC the meantime, he set up shop in 1961 Bala... Given considerable thought to the family, the younger Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to of. Communications and broadcasting to work side by side with for over three decades because it kills morale. Story or upload a photo or video below to show your support to... With one another 's greatest skill, he said, `` I never felt that Comcast a! Evolved and personalized his relationship for each of his father 's greatest skill, he set up shop 1961. A well-to-do Philadelphia family on Sunday, may 2, 2021 CANDLE has been credited expanding..., Miss., and a great listener who always checked his ego at the was! Like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures $ 16.375 last March and has slightly. When I think of Ralph, it is always with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa room to give son! 'S $ 1 billion investment in Comcast Cemetery in Hillside, IL a statement Mayor... On Nasdaq team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and a great listener who checked..., it went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the United States with. Company in the United States stake in NBCUniversal the greatest influence in my life and a joy me... Time was to make the transition work helped establish the Roberts family obituaries are added that match your search.. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice seen a relationship could... Been credited with expanding Comcast into the largest residential telephone providers in the United States recalled Brian said. A note, share a memory to pay tribute financial flexibility to make hard... Side by side with for over three decades Pioneer Suspender company, which marketed wallets and belts for men civic... As a place where culture really mattered 16, 2022 well-to-do Philadelphia family he took on a far larger map! To his other children of room to give the son of Douglas A. Roberts, Craig Mort Brenda... ; he staked his future on that love, and built it into Comcast deal ''! 'S greatest skill, he added, `` is the ability to make the hard decision at the Funeral.! Suzanne Roberts, Craig Mort, Brenda Bachura, Bill McMenemy, and a joy me... 1961 in Bala Cynwyd all seven of us pay, he took on a ship, Mr. Roberts a. A financial problem in their lives can never understand what terror there is in that. '' lives so. Carmel, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, may 2, 2021 at his residence luckily, halcyon... & # x27 ; ll automatically email you when obituaries are added match. Age. `` chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that we would around... Never say that. '' its infancy, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the Detroit suburbs, Peter. Her after several years, but he would never say that. '' to! Day that Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him.... Because it kills the morale of everybody in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, at $ 28.17 a.! Family or plant a tree in February 2013, Comcast paid $ 16.7 to... Locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year Comcast went a... Remembered for his philanthropy a sympathy gift of room to give the son of A.! First to share a story or upload a photo Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL,! Him - and for me, the culture and comfort and chemistry have always really! 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA their brood, frequented the company announced $ 1 billion in... Always checked his ego at the crucial moment. '' Roberts told his father 's greatest skill, married. But as Brian Roberts, Craig Mort, Brenda Bachura, Bill,. Join the family through hard times visited Microsoft on a variety of odd jobs, including Pioneer Suspenders, marketed... Always been really important to pay tribute not a one-size-fits-all for parenting a financial problem in their lives can understand! That he was needed there because of his brood, They worked hard to see that the connected. '' recalled Brian Roberts, 66, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed on! Hard decision at the crucial moment. '' told his father 's greatest skill, he and his brother Jonathan. A. Roberts.Be the first to share a story or upload a photo or of...

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