The company also has 33 million shares of common stock with one vote each and 284 million K shares with no votes. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. 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. [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. He and his wife, the former Suzanne Fleisher, restored it. He is steel. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. In 1994, for example, Ralph Roberts scuttled a bid by Barry Diller, then the chairman of QVC, the home-shopping cable channel, to acquire CBS. "The amazing genius of my father is that there was not a one-size-fits-all for parenting. 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. '', See the article in its original context from. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. 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. 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. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Nathan Scott, and his brother, Jonathan Scott. IT helps, of course, that only one of the children desperately wanted to follow in Dad's footsteps. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. '', Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was the heavy. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. It struck me as a place where culture really mattered. And the other children, who declined to be interviewed, are said to be knowledgeable about the plan and favorable to it. Maybe it was losing both his parents before he was 21, living through the Depression, but somehow he became an optimist. We are deeply saddened to announce that Ralph J. Roberts, husband, father and grandfather, died of natural causes Thursday, June 18 in Philadelphia, PA. He was 95. To make it work, you have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. ''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.'' 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. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 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. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion with his passing.". ''She had a lot of friends, and she decided to go into the insurance business, and everybody she knew bought a policy from her the first year to keep us going,'' he said. His son Douglas died in 2011. After Robert Roberts died in 1932, Ralphs mother, Sara, moved the family to the Germantown section of Philadelphia, to be near her ailing sister. 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. He was the greatest influence in my life and a joy for me to work side by side with for over three decades. "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. A few weeks ago, the five Roberts children -- leaving behind both mates and children -- spent a day with their parents for freewheeling talks on everything from personal concerns to financial matters. Stone Funeral Home. Once Mr. Roberts began building Comcast, Brian, alone of his brood, frequented the company premises. He was 95. Genealogy for Douglas Roberts (1960 - 2011) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. The couple created the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. in her honor. [8] The Suzanne F. and Ralph J. Roberts Foundation was one of the largest contributors to the restoration of the Alfred W. Fleisher Memorial Synagogue at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia named in the honor of his father-in-law. His father's greatest skill, he said, ''is the ability to make the hard decision at the crucial moment.''. I cannot remember a time during our relationship where a cross word passed between us. 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. The elder Roberts was also civic-minded. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Quickly locate a newspaper obituary or death notice. He also participated in continuing education programs at Harvard Business School. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. The couple celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2012. When not on the basketball court, Douglas loved playing cards, spending time with his family, and helping those less fortunate. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. Under Brian Roberts, Comcast has built on its standing as a cable television power to become a media and entertainment giant in content creation and Internet and voice services. Although eager to serve on a ship, Mr. Roberts spent his World War II duty as matriel superintendent in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. 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. The company is clearly planning for the day that Ralph Roberts will no longer be running the show. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. When she was 60 years old, Mrs. Roberts got her undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology and now works with abused children. Obituary. 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. "I think maybe Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the last 50 years that most people haven't heard of. 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. to the family or plant a tree He was the most optimistic man I ever knew. 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. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "That's what he stood for. [2][3] Roberts graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and served a four-year tour on duty in the United States Navy.[4]. And Ed Snider, Comcast Spectacor chairman, said Mr. Roberts was "a great partner and an even greater friend. Like many other cable companies, Comcast peaked in late 1993, at $28.17 a share. If you know of an upcoming event for Douglas A. Roberts, please add one. Roberts, Craig Mort, Brenda Bachura, Bill McMenemy, and Peter McMenemy. ", "He had a wonderful sense of humor, and he was very inspirational to me personally," Snider said in a statement. ''This is a relatively unusual situation,'' said Leon Danco, president of the Center for Family Studies. So he made his own bid for QVC, with TCI as a partner, effectively killing the CBS deal. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. 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. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. Comcast, the company that the venture became (with Mr. Aaron and Mr. Brodsky as its first two employees), has 27.2 million subscribers and produced $68.8 billion in revenue in 2014, the company said. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. He had resided in Leesburg for the past two years. Later, the two men found themselves in the same restaurant, and Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable. In addition, Ralph Roberts personally owns another 5.2 million nonvoting shares, as well as 319,00 class A shares. ALL along, however, Mr. Roberts has drawn his son closer to the center of action inside Comcast and pushed him into the spotlight outside the company. 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. 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. Overnight, it went from 18th to fifth among cable firms in the United States, with two million customers. Though many aging entrepreneurs resist relinquishing power despite all their promises to do so, Comcast has begun notifying local cable commissions of the pending change of control, which Ralph Roberts said would be no later than early next year. 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. Questions? 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 only natural for the world to wonder: How will Brian's siblings react to all this? 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. Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Less than $5 per month 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. Brian Roberts countered that other companies, including Comcast, were aggressively upgrading. He did this by encouraging free-flowing discussion, then focusing the issue with probing questions. "It's just a miracle," Brodsky said. His father, Robert Max Roberts, was a Russian-Jewish immigrant who prospered with a string of pharmacies in the city. Brian Roberts said his parents tried to make life stimulating and eye-opening for their children. And all of them are rich. Mr. Gates was warm to the idea. Doug was predeceased by his infant. Born in Trenton, Doug was a longtime Ewing resident. But the elder Mr. Roberts has probably come as close as any company founder can to setting the stage for an orderly succession. Mr. Roberts taught by example. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren. Ed Rendell. ''It has been wonderful to share those tense moments with your father,'' Brian Roberts said, ''and hopefully, it has prepared me for the future. The family holding company owns all the supervoting shares, as well as 1.8 million of the class A shares and 5.3 million of the nonvoting shares. 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. I went to the University of Pennsylvania. In the meantime, he and his wife had five children. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at the Funeral Home. ''Under that bow tie and courtly manner beats the heart of one tough man. ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Douglass Edward Roberts, 69, a lifelong resident of Swansea and the son of the late Edward Francis Roberts and Barbara (Douglass) Roberts, passed away on December 25, 2019. NewsLibrary. All Rights Reserved. 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. Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Let others know about your loved one's death. They are not your blood family, but you spend so much time with them, you should treat them like family. It's been a real pleasure for the whole family," he said in 1999. In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. 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. 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. 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. 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.. Find the obituary of Douglas A. Roberts (1955 - 2021) from Mount Carmel, IL. [4] He was awarded honorary degrees from both Holy Family College and the University of Pennsylvania, where he received their Joseph P. Wharton Award. There is no photo or video of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. There are too many other combatants, and it becomes another deal. He had been born into an affluent home, the son of the owner of a small drugstore chain in Westchester County, N.Y. For a time, the family even had a chauffeur. 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. 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. Matching family tree profiles for Douglas Roberts Douglas Roberts in MyHeritage family trees (Sverdlove Web Site) view all Immediate Family. He has five children, aged 36 to 47. The Roberts clan's equity stake in Comcast, based in Philadelphia, is worth at least $470 million without a premium, and once the patriarch and his wife pass from the scene, there is no guarantee the heirs won't hurl themselves into a fierce battle for the spoils. 70 years of marriage in 2012 not a one-size-fits-all for parenting and personalized his relationship for each his! 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