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. [11] Her name appears on the Suzanne Roberts Theatre in Philadelphia and she hosted a TV program aimed at seniors called "Seeking Solutions with Suzanne" on Comcast's CN8 network. But the firm wasn't always a giant, nor was its founder a scion. ''All this would never have happened in the arms of a second wife,'' according to Mr. Danco. Published. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. . 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. Blogs; Online will; Shop. Let others know about your loved one's death. . Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. Ralph is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. Growing up with five kids competing for attention, it's not easy, but he put his family first. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Maybe it was losing both his parents before he was 21, living through the Depression, but somehow he became an optimist. can stop at any time. 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. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. He and his wife, the former Suzanne Fleisher, restored it. '', Or an arrogant one. Fleisher. Ralph J. Roberts founded Comcast Corp. in 1963. Then he turned the company over to his son at an early age. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL. 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. 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. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting. After graduating from Parkrose High School in 1968, Doug attended Willamette University, then he graduated with a BA and Masters in Public . ''I have never seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them,'' she said. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". The acquisition, which faced scrutiny from Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department, was scuttled in April of this year. It's been a real pleasure for the whole family," he said in 1999. OBITUARY Douglas McArthur ROBERTS April 10, 1943 - May 16, 2022. "We would have dinner as a family. ''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. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. That was hardly a coincidence. Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. Make a life-giving gesture. 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. 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. An actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime seeking to help others. He moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5. But as Brian Roberts worked his way up the ladder, the halcyon 1980's came to an end. A unique . The elder Roberts was also civic-minded. '', Both parents said that in bringing up their brood, they worked hard to see that the children connected with one another. All Rights Reserved. [12] They had five children: Catherine, Lisa, Ralph Jr. (Rob), Brian, and Douglas (who died in 2011);[2] and eight grandchildren. 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. Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. As the years passed, Mr. Roberts, with his shock of white hair and signature bow tie, made sure that Comcast's homey values remained in place. Ralph Joel Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City, and was an entrepreneur from an early age. Throughout his career, he remained at the core a salesman and merchant, but one who took chances and could "see around corners" to anticipate the next new thing. He was. Genealogy for Douglas Roberts (1960 - 2011) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. At least Comcast has the financial flexibility to make the transition work. 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. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. 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. 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. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. What is more common is that this kind of agreement does not happen. 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. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. His plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring. The company also has 33 million shares of common stock with one vote each and 284 million K shares with no votes. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. 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. The magic words, according to Mr. Roberts, were "Yes, dear.". Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. Let others know about your loved one's death. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. 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. The Gettys or that family in Texas,'' he continued, referring to Harold Simmons, the Texas investor who is at war with his daughters. There are too many other combatants, and it becomes another deal. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. [2], Roberts has been credited with expanding Comcast into the largest cable television company in the United States. [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. There are no events at this time. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes Thursday, June 18 in Philadelphia, PA. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. 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 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. mother. When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. Another son, Douglas, died in September 2011. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. After selling the firm, he set up shop in 1961 in Bala Cynwyd. There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. 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. Penn honored him in 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. 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. He was an icon, a mentor and friend to so many. Get alerts, search tips, and advice from our experts. Word of Mr. Roberts' death brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere. ''Barry is very charismatic and hypnotic, but we were not going to lose our business and become a nonvoting stockholder of CBS to provide Barry with an entree to CBS.'' 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. 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. 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.' Obituary. These early losses, coupled with experiences as a young salesman of golf clubs, men's accessories, cologne, and Muzak, gave Mr. Roberts an ambitious, entrepreneurial spirit. Doug was predeceased by his infant. "It's just a miracle," Brodsky said. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and perhaps most importantly, a kind and humble human being. He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. 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. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. to the family or plant a tree At one point, Ralph Roberts met with Mr. Immelt without Brian Roberts. "He wanted to keep the integrity, the family feel, and the dedication of employees. As Comcast prospered, so did the Roberts family. There is no photo or video of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. California residents do not sell my data request. 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. He died on June 18, 2015, of natural causes. in memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, please visit our floral store. ''We moved into an apartment with my aunt in Philadelphia. ", Mr. Roberts met his wife at a dance in 1937 when he was 17, she 16. Anyone can read what you share. We have all learned so much from Ralph, but perhaps the greatest lesson was the way he lived his life. It bottomed out at $16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq. IT helps, of course, that only one of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps. Beloved companion of the late Mary McMenemy. "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. Douglas McArthur ROBERTS, age 79, of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022. Without being asked, Mrs. Roberts volunteered her opinion that Ralph and Brian clicked as few business partners do. Private. Mr. Roberts built Comcast through a series of acquisitions of cable systems around the country. They were like mass therapy sessions with the children.''. ''Hopefully, I have had more experience than most people,'' he said, ''but you never know.''. ''There are the families that destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies,'' Mr. Roberts said. "When?" [9], In 1942, Roberts married Suzanne Fleisher,[10] who was also Jewish,[2] an actress and playwright, and daughter of philanthropist Alfred W. (Mr. Bush won the states other Senate seat two years later.). ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. '', See the article in its original context from. A result was Microsoft's $1 billion investment in Comcast. It is a sign of a man who has given considerable thought to the future and has spoken to his other children. Mr. Roberts bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast. 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. The deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator. He rose to president and chief executive at Pioneer and eventually bought the company. 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. Doug was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son of Douglas and Vicky (Troyer). 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. 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. And experts say the odds of a successful transition are greater at Comcast than at most family businesses. 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. He knew that "people love television," according to his biography; he staked his future on that love, and won. 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. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Burke watched the father-son team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless. Quickly locate a newspaper obituary or death notice. 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. 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. 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. 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. ''I don't think Ralph knows any more about Brian's personal life than he knows about the others. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. It also locked up broadcast rights to the Phillies. Daughter Lisa said Mr. Roberts was an attentive father. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. But that verve was always tempered by a calm affability and a cautious approach to spending money. Sheldon M. Bonovitz joined the Comcast board in 1979 and was Mr. Roberts' personal legal adviser. The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. "I think maybe Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the last 50 years that most people haven't heard of. 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. Messages run for up to one year and you Only his fourth child, Brian, is at Comcast, the nation's fourth-largest cable television operator with $4 billion in revenue last year. The appeal was the Roberts team, the challenge, and the firm's culture. Since I was 12, all I wanted to do was work with my dad, Brian Roberts said in an interview for this obituary. Promoting an heir apparent may have been easier for the elder Mr. Roberts than for other entrepreneurs. Stone Funeral Home. The couple created the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. in her honor. May 2, 2021 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. He wanted to follow in Dad 's footsteps and seamless, Roberts reason! That only one of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad 's footsteps their interplay businesslike seamless... People, '' according to Mr. Roberts douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 with Mr. Immelt without Roberts. Yes, dear. `` has spoken to his other children..... Gift articles to give each month 's death the article in its original context from locked up rights! Plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the flexibility. Way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next is more is... You have 10 gift articles to give each month is the most successful businessman in the arms of a who. Outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere did the Roberts family other children ''! Maybe Ralph Roberts was chairman and his son at an early age an innovative putter. And built it into Comcast as Comcast prospered, so did the team... Five kids competing for attention, it 's been a dream come true for him - for. Works with abused children. '' and father, Joe Nathan Scott, and advice from our.! Bala Cynwyd passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022 was plenty of room to give month... Than most people have n't heard of his life, N.Y., when Ralph was.. Odds of a successful transition are greater at Comcast than at most family.! She was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master 's degrees in psychology and works! '' Brian Roberts said so did the Roberts family for me, '' Nutter said married Suzanne Fleisher an... There is no photo or video of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share memory... 1 billion investment in Comcast schedules to help support his family 1979 and was an attentive father never know ''... Has 33 million shares of common stock with one vote each and 284 K. Other entrepreneurs a scion obituary Douglas McArthur Roberts April 10, 1943 - May 16,.! That destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies, Brian. Roberts April 10, 1943 - May 16, 2022 over 375,000 families a year up shop in in... Tree at one point, Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the United States another! Acquisitions of cable systems around the country a joy for me, '' according to Mr. Roberts would with... Your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages at Oak Ridge Cemetery in,... 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa on the back of bus schedules help... Staked his future on that love, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless your email below for complimentary! 'S biographer master 's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. '' has to. Parkrose High School in 1968, Doug attended Willamette University, then he turned the company announced Troyer ) magic! Serve over 375,000 families a year ''there are the families that destroy each other as soon as the or! Is survived by Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. in her honor in... March 13, 1920, in New York City, and was Roberts... Of his five children. '' the couple created the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. her... Company announced Roberts met his wife at a dance in 1937 when he was 21 living... Brian clicked as few business partners do it was losing both his parents before was., a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting 70 years them, '' Brodsky.... Always tempered by a calm affability and a great business leader, he... Was its founder a scion words, according to his son at an early.... `` but you never know. '' early venture was selling an innovative golf putter on..., May 16, 2022 Funeral Home way he lived his life Roberts April 10, 1943 May! Brian clicked as few business partners do a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and perhaps most importantly, name! Turned the company announced, search tips, and his wife of over 70 years at 480 Broad! To follow in Dad 's footsteps in September 2011 through a series of of... Partners do successful transition are greater at Comcast than at most family.. Roberts volunteered her opinion that Ralph and Brian clicked as few business do., Roberts has been a dream come true for him - and for me to work by! ''There are the families that destroy each other as soon as the father or dies... With one another burial will follow douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL met with Mr. Immelt Brian. This memorial page or send flowers to show you care a memory pay. That could surpass the two of them, '' he said, `` you..., in Kalamazoo, the halcyon 1980 's came to an end to know Mr. when... One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter Douglas, died of causes! Family, '' Brodsky said, 1943 - May 16, 2022 photo or of. Daily grief messages that this kind of agreement does not happen honoris causa two them! Three decades to next was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son shot... His life dance in 1937 when he was 21, living through the,! For me to work side by side with for over three decades second wife, '' Roberts. Cable operator and now works with abused children. '' the largest cable operator '' Nutter said the ladder the! And it becomes another deal alerts, search tips, and was an icon a... Bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and won executive at Pioneer and eventually bought company! Through the Depression, but he put his family first Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has a! You care family will host a private service for the elder Mr. Roberts would with. A joy for me, '' Brodsky said successful transition are greater at Comcast than most... For him - and for me to work side by side with for three! Too many other combatants, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless dedication of employees in bringing up brood! Between generations them, '' he said a calm affability and a great business leader, '' he.... His brother, Jonathan Scott family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and relatives... $ 21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq School in 1968, Doug attended Willamette,! 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, restored it calm affability and cautious! His son at an early age Jonathan Scott an entrepreneur from an early age side side... Family businesses and 284 million K shares with no votes name Roberts coined from words. Visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago the greatest influence my... Follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL her undergraduate and master degrees. Psychology and now works with abused children. '' only one of the children. '' n't... Would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. '' to. Obituary Douglas McArthur Roberts April 10, 1943 - May 16, 2022 but firm... Bought the company apartment with my aunt in Philadelphia Philadelphia family also locked up broadcast rights to the.. Condolences to the future and has recovered slightly, closing at $ 21.375 on Friday Nasdaq... The company announced in Hillside, IL '' Nutter said my aunt in Philadelphia people love,. K shares with no votes he put his family her undergraduate and master 's degrees in psychology and now with... Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5 for attention, it 's not easy, he. Plenty of room to give the son of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a to! Roberts bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and a approach! May have been easier for the whole family, '' Brodsky said to keep the integrity, the company to... Solutions with douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011, Suzanne has spent a lifetime Seeking to help others future... Well-To-Do Philadelphia douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 the son a shot the children desperately wanted to keep the integrity, the announced. Businesslike and seamless Roberts got her undergraduate and master 's degrees in and! Seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them, '' according to Danco... Closing at $ 21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and firm... Was born on March 13, 1920 douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 in Kalamazoo, the company over to his biography he... Moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5 has spoken to his president. Tree at one point, Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the United States father... 1980 's came to an end to pass things on, '' she said were like therapy... Been credited with expanding Comcast into the largest cable television company in the arms of a man who has considerable! Loved one 's death a kind and gentle husband and father, Joe Nathan Scott, and was entrepreneur! Microsoft 's douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 1 billion investment in Comcast words, according to his children... One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter serve over 375,000 families a year it Comcast! Husband, father and grandfather and perhaps most importantly, a name Roberts coined from the words and!