To send flowers Genealogy for Douglas Roberts (1960 - 2011) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL. in memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, please visit our floral store. Douglas McArthur ROBERTS, age 79, of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022. There was another side to Mr. Roberts - as a mentor to those other than his son. 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. 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. ''All this would never have happened in the arms of a second wife,'' according to Mr. Danco. 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.. Less than $5 per month 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. In a family business, even the strongest allegiances can crack under the strain of a mismanaged transition at the top, but people familiar with Comcast say the younger Mr. Roberts is proving his mettle. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. He never pressured any of them to join the family company -- and none besides Brian showed any interest in doing so. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. After his wedding, Mr. Roberts embarked on a business career, becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur.. And all of them are rich. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. 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. ''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. 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 is always business. 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. Mr. Roberts taught by example. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. Your email will not be used for any other purpose. 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. "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. 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. Word of Mr. Roberts' death brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere. All Rights Reserved. She was not amused. ''Ralph is tough,'' he says ruefully. ''We used to take the children away with us every year to climb the Pyramids or something memorable to keep their attention,'' he said. 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. I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. On ski trips, he would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots. He was born on January 6, 1955 in Tampa, Florida, the son of Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine (Boyce) Thompson. His wife agreed: "The thing that motivates Ralph is not having the money, but knowing that his children are secure. "You could tell Ralph was crazy about Brian, and Brian was crazy about him. to the family or plant a tree Their simple philosophy was summed up by Mr. Roberts in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. The elder Roberts was also civic-minded. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". 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. "His legacy is that he left a big, vibrant company, that is led by his son, that will live on for many, many years," Comcast executive Steve Burke said. "He did it in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing. Then, chuckling, he added, ''It was probably a very good lesson for Brian -- no question about it. [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. Ralph is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years. [9], In 1942, Roberts married Suzanne Fleisher,[10] who was also Jewish,[2] an actress and playwright, and daughter of philanthropist Alfred W. Soon after buying the Flyers, Mr. Roberts admitted that he had just seen his first hockey game. 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. It is only natural for the world to wonder: How will Brian's siblings react to all this? Many entrepreneurs are very secretive. Like many other cable companies, Comcast peaked in late 1993, at $28.17 a share. Comcast - the name borrowed from communications and broadcasting - was incorporated in 1969 and began its legendary climb. That was extremely important to him, that we would sit around the table - all seven of us. 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. Brian, born in 1959, was the fourth. An actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime seeking to help others. IN THE CARE OF. 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. "I couldn't have done that if I didn't have any money. He was needed there because of his business acumen, his superiors said. BEST DEAL! Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the nation's fourth-largest cable television operator with $4 billion in revenue last year. "So much of what he is to the public is what he was to us. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". He and his wife, the former Suzanne Fleisher, restored it. Start searching today using our powerful and intuitive search. Penn honored him in 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa. He was 95. Funeral Home website by. What is more common is that this kind of agreement does not happen. Messages run for up to one year and you ''Under that bow tie and courtly manner beats the heart of one tough man. He graduated from Ewing High School and studied automotive technology at the Lincoln Technical Institute on a scholarship. He was 95. 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 1963, the year he founded the company, he created Comcast class B shares, of which there are 8.8 million, each with 15 votes. "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. Though Brian Roberts spearheaded the deal, Ralph Roberts played a crucial role in assuring the G.E. Douglas Scott was born April 8,1958 to Joe Nathan Scott and Mona (nee Page) Scott. Now Brian typically takes the lead.''. 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. He moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5. "I will really miss him. All rights reserved. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. . He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. 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. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/22/business/the-heir-is-clearly-apparent-at-comcast.html. 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. Douglas McArthur ROBERTS, age 79, of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022. It struck me as a place where culture really mattered. I cannot remember a time during our relationship where a cross word passed between us. Like many media entrepreneurs, Ralph Roberts created several classes of stock, enabling him to issue equity without losing control. BigDaddy, as he was known to his friends and family, had a remarkable passion and talent for athletics. The five children and their parents jointly own the holding company that owns Comcast's supervoting shares. 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. The elder Mr. Roberts has made sure that each of Brian's siblings will retain an economic stake in Comcast equal their brother's. His plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. "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. 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.''. '', Brian Roberts, on the other hand, seems to relish his public role. To make it work, you have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs. Let others know about your loved one's death. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. California residents do not sell my data request. 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. "For me, the culture and comfort and chemistry have always been really important. '', Or an arrogant one. ''But if it were not for self-promotion, how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously?''. ''Ralph and Julian have been intimately involved, but Ralph doesn't sit there until 4 A.M. in the lawyers' offices anymore. He graduated with an economics degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and enlisted in the Navy as World War II was beginning, serving at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for the duration of the war. [6], Roberts served on the boards of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Brandywine River Museum, the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, and the PENN Medicine Board of Trustees. As Comcast prospered, so did the Roberts family. Ralph J. Roberts. 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. [2], Roberts has been credited with expanding Comcast into the largest cable television company in the United States. [12] They had five children: Catherine, Lisa, Ralph Jr. (Rob), Brian, and Douglas (who died in 2011);[2] and eight grandchildren. He loved my mother and my entire family so much. 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. That was hardly a coincidence. 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. Jun 19, 2015. When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. It also sells those services to businesses. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. But as Brian Roberts worked his way up the ladder, the halcyon 1980's came to an end. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. But they talk all the time. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. The appeal was the Roberts team, the challenge, and the firm's culture. He was 95. Ralph Joel Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York. In its infancy, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the Detroit suburbs, and Pennsylvania. "The trick," Mr. Roberts said in the biography, "is to make everyone feel involved.". 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