IT helps, of course, that only one of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps. He was committed to the fight against cancer, and along with his wife and family, helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. The deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator. Enter Now Brian typically takes the lead.''. 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.''. But they talk all the time. 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. He credits his mother for pulling the family through hard times. At least Comcast has the financial flexibility to make the transition work. 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. 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. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. 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. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. Funeral arrangement under the care ofKeepes Funeral Home. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion," Nutter said in a statement. Mr. Roberts said, according to his biography. ''I don't think Ralph knows any more about Brian's personal life than he knows about the others. When not on the basketball court, Douglas loved playing cards, spending time with his family, and helping those less fortunate. ''There are the families that destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies,'' Mr. Roberts said. Penn honored him in 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa. 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. '', Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was the heavy. [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. 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. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. Born in Trenton, Doug was a longtime Ewing resident. RALPH ROBERTS, the dapper 77-year-old founder of the Comcast Corporation, loves to follow the ups and downs of other family businesses and try to figure out what makes some thrive and others implode. At the time of his death, Mr. Roberts was past president and chairman emeritus of the public company, which has its headquarters on John F. Kennedy Boulevard. The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. He loved my mother and my entire family so much. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. ''The most dangerous thing is a son or daughter coming into a business where they think they get special treatment,'' Mr. Roberts said. ''All this would never have happened in the arms of a second wife,'' according to Mr. Danco. And her husband reminisced about family trips. 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. He had resided in Leesburg for the past two years. Brian Roberts said his parents tried to make life stimulating and eye-opening for their children. I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. 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. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". Without being asked, Mrs. Roberts volunteered her opinion that Ralph and Brian clicked as few business partners do. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. ''Usually we have about 200.''. 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. Then, chuckling, he added, ''It was probably a very good lesson for Brian -- no question about it. Let others know about your loved one's death. As an executive, Mr. Roberts had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Brian Roberts countered that other companies, including Comcast, were aggressively upgrading. 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. 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. "That's what he stood for. The potential for conflict is obvious. Actually, he added, "I've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never say that. The couple celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2012. After selling the firm, he set up shop in 1961 in Bala Cynwyd. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. Douglas graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1977 where he was an accomplished student, basketball & track star, and leader. No one was punished for broaching a new idea. Let others know about your loved one's death. ommitted to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. 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. . A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. 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. 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. Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Suzanne Roberts. May 2, 2021 Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. He will always be remembered for his generosity, integrity, honesty, kindness and respect for everyone around him. Mr. Roberts, typically dapper in his signature bow tie and Brooks Brothers suits, became his sons mentor and sounding board, and the two were admired as a potent business partnership while never displaying the kind of strained and tempestuous relationship that can flare when a son succeeds a successful father. "When?" ''Brian is the more active participant.''. All Rights Reserved. To be sure, he adds, ''At an important fork in the road, Brian will go off to his father'' to get the older man's stamp of approval. 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. 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. Doug was predeceased by his infant. 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. The Gettys or that family in Texas,'' he continued, referring to Harold Simmons, the Texas investor who is at war with his daughters. ''I have never seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them,'' she said. His main goal at the time was to make a lot of money. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. "The trick," Mr. Roberts said in the biography, "is to make everyone feel involved.". A unique . . The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter. 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. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M. Lawton Passed away July 28, 2012 at his residence. An actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime seeking to help others. On ski trips, he would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots. Ralph was my personal mentor, teaching me how to build and maintain a great organizational culture irrespective of size," Bonovitz said. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. 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. ''The father is open. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. 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.' Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. JUST as important, family-business experts say the apparent harmony within the Roberts family bodes well for the chances of a smooth transition. Promoting an heir apparent may have been easier for the elder Mr. Roberts than for other entrepreneurs. Douglas Scott was born April 8,1958 to Joe Nathan Scott and Mona (nee Page) Scott. 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. '', Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls ''pulling the trigger,'' is something you learn. I never felt that Comcast was a sixth child," she said. '', See the article in its original context from. But the elder Mr. Roberts has probably come as close as any company founder can to setting the stage for an orderly succession. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. The five children and their parents jointly own the holding company that owns Comcast's supervoting shares. Daughter Lisa said Mr. Roberts was an attentive father. It is a skill that Brian Roberts knows he has yet to prove and that is rare among the sons of powerful men, who are often overwhelmed by their fathers. Most of his pay, he said, came from $43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had to exercise. Ed Rendell. The elder Roberts was also civic-minded. In his leisure time, on which Mr. Roberts insisted, he rode horses, foxhunted, and enjoyed his family. 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. Get alerts, search tips, and advice from our experts. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. Douglas McArthur ROBERTS, age 79, of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting. Fleisher. Since I was 12, all I wanted to do was work with my dad, Brian Roberts said in an interview for this obituary. 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. Jun 19, 2015. They are not your blood family, but you spend so much time with them, you should treat them like family. To send flowers . 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.. . "During this period, even before 1979 . [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. 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. Start searching today using our powerful and intuitive search. In addition, Ralph Roberts personally owns another 5.2 million nonvoting shares, as well as 319,00 class A shares. [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. Despite that, Mr. Roberts named the club the Bob Hope Centric putter and began selling it around the country. 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. Even as he is promoting his son, the elder Mr. Roberts is looking after the financial interests of his other children. 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. Director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime Seeking help... Would help with homework and listen to each of my siblings, '' she said, `` 've. Said Mr. Roberts insisted, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk the families destroy. Support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including Comcast were... 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