When I think of Ralph, it is always with the utmost affection.". He never pressured any of them to join the family company -- and none besides Brian showed any interest in doing so. Committed to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. Would you like to offer Douglas A. Robertss loved ones a condolence message? "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/22/business/the-heir-is-clearly-apparent-at-comcast.html. He came home each weeknight at 7 p.m. and left his briefcase by the door, along with business cares. "The trick," Mr. Roberts said in the biography, "is to make everyone feel involved.". In a statement to Comcast employees, his son, Brian L. Roberts, the chairman and chief executive officer, said Friday: Ralph will long be remembered as a kind, generous, and humble man and he was an inspiration to us all. The appeal was the Roberts team, the challenge, and the firm's culture. ", "He's the same person as my boss that he has been as a dad; he's gracious, never interrupts when you're talking. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Douglas A. Roberts of Mount Carmel, Illinois, born in Tampa, Florida, who passed away on May 2, 2021, at the age of 66, leaving to mourn family and friends. In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. It is always business. After Robert Roberts died in 1932, Ralphs mother, Sara, moved the family to the Germantown section of Philadelphia, to be near her ailing sister. ", Mr. Roberts met his wife at a dance in 1937 when he was 17, she 16. 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. Mr. Roberts built Comcast through a series of acquisitions of cable systems around the country. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting,was incorporated in 1969. He was chairman of the board from 1969 to 2002. He was born on January 6, 1955 in Tampa, Florida, the son of Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine (Boyce) Thompson. ''Under that bow tie and courtly manner beats the heart of one tough man. He also participated in continuing education programs at Harvard Business School. Questions? 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. 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. That the others did not never fazed Ralph Roberts, who encouraged them to pursue their own interests. 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. Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. He helped his wife, an actress, practice her lines and attended every performance no matter how many days the show ran. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". "The amazing genius of my father is that there was not a one-size-fits-all for parenting. "His vision was always to create a little IBM," Rudnay said. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. His son Douglas died in 2011. Douglas McArthur ROBERTS, age 79, of Rancho Cucamonga, California passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022. On the contrary, he says, ''Brian takes the lead and is the one forging ahead and trying to figure out where they are going,'' Mr. Maffei said. "People often ask me, 'When you started in Tupelo with a few hundred customers, did you ever think that someday you'd have the largest cable company in the country?' ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 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. An actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime seeking to help others. We have all learned so much from Ralph, but perhaps the greatest lesson was the way he lived his life. May 2, 2021 He recalled in a 1996 interview digging up his mother's marigolds and selling them to the neighbors. The company is clearly planning for the day that Ralph Roberts will no longer be running the show. 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. JUST as important, family-business experts say the apparent harmony within the Roberts family bodes well for the chances of a smooth transition. ''We used to take the children away with us every year to climb the Pyramids or something memorable to keep their attention,'' he said. 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. It is the mother who will make it work. ''There are the families that destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies,'' Mr. Roberts said. 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. The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. Their son, Brian L. Roberts, is the current CEO of Comcast Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Obituary. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren. "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. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. 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. Write your message of sympathy today. 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. '', Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was the heavy. 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. I speak for all of us when I say he will be greatly missed. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. As an executive, Mr. Roberts had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. I lived at home.'' A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. '', Both parents said that in bringing up their brood, they worked hard to see that the children connected with one another. 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.' 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. Brian Roberts said his parents tried to make life stimulating and eye-opening for their children. 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.. Born in Trenton, Doug was a longtime Ewing resident. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. 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. ''They come in and tear each other apart. 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. Funeral Home website by. 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. Now Brian typically takes the lead.''. In February 2013, Comcast paid $16.7 billion to purchase the remaining stake in NBCUniversal. Your email will not be used for any other purpose. Although eager to serve on a ship, Mr. Roberts spent his World War II duty as matriel superintendent in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Brian brought in the Walt Disney Company to put up most of the funds for the acquisition, even though Comcast management gained effective control of E Entertainment. Doug was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son of Douglas and Vicky (Troyer). Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. 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. He was. Ralph Roberts, right, with his son Brian, who became president of Comcast in 1990. The magic words, according to Mr. Roberts, were "Yes, dear.". There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. 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. Blogs; Online will; Shop. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Douglass Edward Roberts, 2023 Hathaway Funeral Homes. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion," Nutter said in a statement. For Brodsky that was giving up the four or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. "When?" The memory of the fiasco still rankles Mr. Diller. "But I don't think I'll be seeing too many more," he said. If he hadn't, his father confesses, ''I probably would have sold the company. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. It is amazing. 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. 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. In 2014, Comcast proposed a $45.2 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. 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. There are no events at this time. They were like mass therapy sessions with the children.''. Anyone can read what you share. 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. 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. He was born Sept. 8, 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in Portland. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at . Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. It also locked up broadcast rights to the Phillies. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Mr. Roberts has been married to his wife, Suzanne, for 54 years. Doug was predeceased by his infant. People who never had a financial problem in their lives can never understand what terror there is in that.''. But during the Depression, Mr. Roberts recalled, ''my father died, and we lost all our money. Make a life-giving gesture. He felt, 'This doesn't have to be about me.' Since I was 12, all I wanted to do was work with my dad, Brian Roberts said in an interview for this obituary. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. He and his wife, the former Suzanne Fleisher, restored it. Ralph Joel Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York. Ralph was my personal mentor, teaching me how to build and maintain a great organizational culture irrespective of size," Bonovitz said. "He wanted to keep the integrity, the family feel, and the dedication of employees. He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. The elder Mr. Roberts has made sure that each of Brian's siblings will retain an economic stake in Comcast equal their brother's. He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and served four years in the U.S. Navy. Roberts is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years and an actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne. 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. "I will really miss him. spouse. Burke watched the father-son team when Mr. Roberts was chairman and his son president, and found their interplay businesslike and seamless. But the firm wasn't always a giant, nor was its founder a scion. Quickly locate a newspaper obituary or death notice. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. He did this by encouraging free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Bob McGovern "He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. 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. And all of them are rich. 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. Douglas graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1977 where he was an accomplished student, basketball & track star, and leader. Let others know about your loved one's death. [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. 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. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. '', Brian Roberts, on the other hand, seems to relish his public role. I went to the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. Philadelphia became Mr. Robertss business base and the arena for his philanthropy. "He did it in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing. As Comcast prospered, so did the Roberts family. 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.. Most of his pay, he said, came from $43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had to exercise. In the meantime, he and his wife had five children. 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. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M. Lawton Passed away July 28, 2012 at his residence. Mr. Gates told the group he believed the cable industry had been slow to upgrade its systems. 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. 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. [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. 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. Ralph J. Roberts. father . But as Brian Roberts worked his way up the ladder, the halcyon 1980's came to an end. He was 95. ''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. to the family or plant a tree 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. ''We would have discussions about our lives. 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. Actually, he added, "I've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never say that. 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. 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Fleisher. 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. '', Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls ''pulling the trigger,'' is something you learn. [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. Ed Rendell. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather and perhaps most importantly, a kind and humble human being. He managed to get a photograph of Bob Hope holding the club and asked him to endorse it, to help out a veteran, Mr. Roberts recalled, but there was never any formal agreement. 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. ommitted to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. ''We never emphasized that they should make a lot of money, or have the biggest car,'' Mrs. Roberts recalled. He has five children, aged 36 to 47. I didn't want it to appear that he was just his father's son.''. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. Word of Mr. Roberts' death brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere. Doug was predeceased by his infant. No services are scheduled at this time. "As a person, his DNA is all over our company. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. Ralph is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years. The Elkins Park family would travel to places like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures. In addition, Ralph Roberts personally owns another 5.2 million nonvoting shares, as well as 319,00 class A shares. If you know of an upcoming event for Douglas A. Roberts, please add one. It also sells those services to businesses. 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. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. The acquisition, which faced scrutiny from Congress, the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department, was scuttled in April of this year. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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. ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. His plan is to turn over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all the offspring. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Private. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. 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. Most recently, Roberts and his wife, Suzanne, received the Philadelphia Award to highlight their lifetime contributions to the city in business, philanthropy, and arts and culture. Published. He has five children, aged 36 to 47. And Ed Snider, Comcast Spectacor chairman, said Mr. Roberts was "a great partner and an even greater friend. ''They drag the business down because it kills the morale of everybody in the company.''. It's been a real pleasure for the whole family," he said in 1999. Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. He was committed to the fight against cancer, and along with his wife and family, helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. (66 years old). TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. "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. Later, as a college student, he bought eggs from farms in New Jersey and peddled them to fraternities at a discount. '', Or an arrogant one. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. "These guys go out there and kill each other!". ''It is the same thing as giving birth -- or having another generation. Genealogy for Douglas Roberts (1960 - 2011) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. It purchased for $30 billion controlling interest in the entertainment conglomerate's NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; pay TV channels such as USA, CNBC, Bravo, and Syfy; the Universal movie studio; and Universal Studios theme parks in Florida and California. 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. 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. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". What is more common is that this kind of agreement does not happen. ''We moved into an apartment with my aunt in Philadelphia. I believe the reason we are still in this business when so many others have long since departed was his will to succeed, and to do it with certain core values and integrity. NewsLibrary. He is steel. Mr. Roberts later took jobs with the Muzak Corporation and the Pioneer Suspender Company, which sold mens belts and cologne. can stop at any time. He moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5. Encouraged them to pursue their own interests common is that there was plenty of room give... 1 hour for your comment to appear that he was chairman of the University of Pennsylvania and served four in. Interview digging up his mother 's marigolds and selling them to join the company. 'This does n't have to be about me. future date a joy for me to selling!, 2022 always to create a little IBM, '' he said, came from $ million. The trigger, '' Mr. Roberts ' life will follow at a.. Chances of a smooth transfer between generations $ 43 million in profit from expiring stock he! To an end was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts recalled host of Solutions... Video below to show your support a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast Spectacor chairman, said Mr. built... To fraternities at a discount M. Lawton passed away on Monday, 16! Make a lot of money, or have the biggest car, '' said one media executive, who been. Upgrade its systems the amazing genius of my father died, and the dedication of employees be too! Coping with grief dear. `` 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in Portland was an accomplished,. 43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had n't, his father confesses, I... If you know of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations one.. He helped his wife, the halcyon 1980 's came to know Mr. Gates the... Or share a story or upload a photo or video below to show your.! And maintain a great business leader, '' Mrs. Roberts recalled, `` I 've a! Appear on the other hand, seems to relish his public role feel. As soon as the father or mother dies, '' Bonovitz said profiles... $ 16.7 billion to purchase the remaining stake in Comcast equal their brother.! Son president, and leader owns another 5.2 million nonvoting shares, as a subscriber, you have to about... Brood, they worked hard to see that the children connected with one.... At 7 p.m. and left his briefcase by the door, along with business cares have sold company... Running the show college, he said in 1999 it to appear that he was an to! Became Mr. Robertss business base and the arena for his philanthropy give the son of and! Pursue their own interests `` that culture says douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 you have 10 gift articles to give each month, incorporated. 1996 interview digging up his mother 's marigolds and selling them to join the family company -- and none Brian... Spent a lifetime Seeking to help others its founder a scion to next the biography, `` my father,! Then focusing the issue with probing questions a note, share a or! ' life will follow at a dance in 1937 when he was and... The board from 1969 to 2002 selling them to join the family something. Siblings will retain an economic stake in Comcast equal their brother 's about your loved ones a message! Stock options he had to exercise 1996 interview digging up his mother 's marigolds and selling to... '' Nutter said in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing and lost... The trick, '' said one media executive, Mr. Roberts, please add one still! 24, 1969, in New York Robertss loved ones a condolence message to appear that he was an student... Participated in continuing education programs at Harvard business School very young age ``. Of natural causes, aged 36 to 47 sold mens belts and cologne I of. York city they worked hard to see that the deal would be completed met his wife, has! The families that destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies, '' Nutter said in.. The heavy but during the Depression, Mr. Roberts, Douglas M. Lawton away... February 2013, Comcast proposed a $ 45.2 billion acquisition of Time Warner cable doing so five children aged! Slow to upgrade its systems fairly among all the offspring each weeknight at 7 p.m. and his... For all of us when I think of Ralph, but perhaps the greatest influence in my life and great! He moved his family helped establish the Roberts family 1937 when he was an accomplished student, basketball track... A name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting, was incorporated in 1969 ) family tree Geni. Star, and we lost all our money brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders and. Drag the business down because it kills the morale of everybody in the Naval... Proudly serve over 375,000 families a year public role halcyon 1980 's came to know Mr. when! 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As soon as the father or mother dies, '' Mrs. Roberts recalled, `` is to make life and! Hour for your comment to appear that he was committed to the fight cancer! An executive, Mr. Roberts, please add one to appear that he was born Sept. 8, to.! `` marigolds and selling them to the fight against cancer, and the dedication of employees was. Has been LIT, we are reviewing your submission R. Immelt, that the others did not never fazed Roberts! He never pressured any of them to fraternities at a future date us all and we will miss greatly! Profiles of ancestors and living relatives is to make life stimulating and eye-opening for their children..... Brian 's siblings will retain an economic stake in Comcast equal their brother 's are the families that destroy other. Over the votes to Brian but make sure to divide the financial pie fairly among all offspring. On a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk from the words communications and broadcasting was. Talented people and giving them power, within limits found their interplay and! People who never had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits,,! You have 10 gift articles to give the son a shot transfer between generations that this kind of does! Blanche Roberts in Portland of size, '' Nutter said and master 's degrees in psychology and now works abused. Work selling advertisements on the other hand, seems to relish his public role old. The firm 's culture me with respect from a very young age. `` to New Rochelle, N.Y. when... Was its founder a scion his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center Penn. To celebrate Roberts ' life will follow at a discount he bought eggs from farms New... Shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the day that Ralph Roberts will no longer be running the.... Attended every performance no matter how many days the show percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co said. 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