''We never emphasized that they should make a lot of money, or have the biggest car,'' Mrs. Roberts recalled. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Quickly locate a newspaper obituary or death notice. And her husband reminisced about family trips. [4] In 1998, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Roberts into their Hall of Fame. If he hadn't, his father confesses, ''I probably would have sold the company. Let others know about your loved one's death. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Actually, he added, "I've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never say that. ''It is the same thing as giving birth -- or having another generation. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting,was incorporated in 1969. "Ralph served as a longtime member of the Penn Medicine board, and actively supported athletics, undergraduate financial aid, and his class." NewsLibrary. Throughout his life, Roberts was involved in numerous community and civic activities, serving the boards of the Council of Emeritus Directors of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Brandywine Museum and Conservancy, among others. Like many media entrepreneurs, Ralph Roberts created several classes of stock, enabling him to issue equity without losing control. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. ''I don't think Ralph knows any more about Brian's personal life than he knows about the others. 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. 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. 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.' 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. Later, the two men found themselves in the same restaurant, and Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in cable. To send flowers ''We would have discussions about our lives. But that verve was always tempered by a calm affability and a cautious approach to spending money. They both deserve credit for that graceful interplay, but the lion's share goes to Ralph," said Burke, CEO of Comcast's NBCUniversal. In a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business visionary and family man. JUST as important, family-business experts say the apparent harmony within the Roberts family bodes well for the chances of a smooth transition. 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. Start searching today using our powerful and intuitive search. Enter 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. In addition to his wife, son, and daughter, Mr. Roberts is survived by daughter Catherine R. Clifton; son Ralph Jr.; and eight grandchildren. 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. 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. Luckily, the youngster had business smarts as well as enthusiasm. He graduated from Ewing High School and studied automotive technology at the Lincoln Technical Institute on a scholarship. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion," Nutter said in a statement. The elder Mr. Roberts has made sure that each of Brian's siblings will retain an economic stake in Comcast equal their brother's. And to prevent his other heirs from putting pressure on Brian to sell Comcast -- an issue that has torn many families apart -- Mr. Roberts is struggling with a way to give them nonvoting stock that they could cash in without disturbing their brother's grip on the company. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. He has five children, aged 36 to 47. The magic words, according to Mr. Roberts, were "Yes, dear.". 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. 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. A unique . Promoting an heir apparent may have been easier for the elder Mr. Roberts than for other entrepreneurs. It struck me as a place where culture really mattered. ''We had 650 analysts on the conference call to discuss the deal,'' recalled Brian Roberts, who handled the call for Comcast. "That culture says that you have to care about the people you work with. The culture of Comcast was important to him.". '', That would have been a wrenching decision, as it almost invariably is for the founder of a company. Less than $5 per month 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. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY. We all will.". His son Douglas died in 2011. Daughter Lisa said Mr. Roberts was an attentive father. He was born on January 6, 1955 in Tampa, Florida, the son of Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine (Boyce) Thompson. "These guys go out there and kill each other!". To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. He is survived by : his parents, Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine Thompson (Boyce); his children, Sarah Roberts-Hanna, Katherine Allen, Sabrina McComas and Daniel Roberts; his grandchildren, Harper, Emily and Taylor; and his siblings, Danny Roberts and Charmaine Hankins. Despite that, Mr. Roberts named the club the Bob Hope Centric putter and began selling it around the country. That never happens.". 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. He is steel. The deal made Comcast the nations largest cable operator. Jun 19, 2015. Their simple philosophy was summed up by Mr. Roberts in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. He also participated in continuing education programs at Harvard Business School. The couple celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2012. He also sold advertising on ink blotters. ''There is something about wanting to pass things on,'' he said. He credits his mother for pulling the family through hard times. Doug was predeceased by his infant. Brian Roberts came to know Mr. Gates when a contingent of Comcast executives visited Microsoft on a fact-finding tour several years ago. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. The soft-spoken, affable Mr. Roberts never acquired the outsize public profile of cable pioneers like Ted Turner, John C. Malone, Charles F. Dolan and John Rigas, but his impact was comparable to theirs in making cable television a culture-changing industry giving viewers hundreds of channels, where they once had little more than a dozen, and persuading them to pay for something that had always been free. Ralph J. Roberts founded Comcast Corp. in 1963. Sign up for service and obituary updates. After his wedding, Mr. Roberts embarked on a business career, becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur.. BEST DEAL! The elder Mr. Roberts kept the titles of chairman and chief executive. I lived at home.'' 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. He rose to president and chief executive at Pioneer and eventually bought the company. . The memory of the fiasco still rankles Mr. Diller. "Ralph Roberts is the absolutely most clear-cut example of the American dream," said former Gov. Mr. Roberts built Comcast through a series of acquisitions of cable systems around the country. 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. ''Under that bow tie and courtly manner beats the heart of one tough man. A Funeral Service will begin at Noon at . 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. In its infancy, Comcast bought systems in Mississippi, the Detroit suburbs, and Pennsylvania. That's his legacy: not leaving his children wanting. In February 2013, Comcast paid $16.7 billion to purchase the remaining stake in NBCUniversal. Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. 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. 1-800-896-5587 (Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT) Annual Membership . He was committed to the fight against cancer, and along with his wife and family, helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center. 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. I never felt that Comcast was a sixth child," she said. The Elkins Park family would travel to places like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". The family will host a private service for the family, the company announced. 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. Questions? On ski trips, he would patiently lace up five pairs of ski boots. I didn't want it to appear that he was just his father's son.''. It bottomed out at $16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq. 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. Sheldon M. Bonovitz joined the Comcast board in 1979 and was Mr. Roberts' personal legal adviser. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Mr. Roberts witnessed the loss of his family's drugstore chain in the Depression and the death of his father to a heart attack in 1933, when he was 12. He moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5. 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. 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. He was 95. ''There are the families that destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies,'' Mr. Roberts said. In 2014, Comcast proposed a $45.2 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable. May 2, 2021 '', Or an arrogant one. Ralph is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years. An actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime seeking to help others. In one generation, he started a company that is one of the 50 biggest companies in the U.S.," said Burke, one of a second wave of executives to join Comcast 15 years ago. Ralph was my personal mentor, teaching me how to build and maintain a great organizational culture irrespective of size," Bonovitz said. Loving father of Dennis Garland, D.J. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the ROBERTS family. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. I went to the University of Pennsylvania. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Ed Rendell. In 2001, the father and son made an audacious but successful $45 billion bid to acquire AT&Ts cable business. He was 95. 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. Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. The 1998 Inquirer Executive Compensation Survey showed that Mr. Roberts was paid $45 million, ranking second on The Inquirer's list of the most highly compensated chief executives in the region. ''Usually we have about 200.''. 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. ''But if it were not for self-promotion, how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously?''. Mr. Roberts bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast. He always treated me with respect from a very young age.". 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. Funeral homes; Help and advice. 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. Doug was predeceased by his infant. "He found the buttons to push.". Another son, Douglas, died in September 2011. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. 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. BigDaddy, as he was known to his friends and family, had a remarkable passion and talent for athletics. He sold it in 1961 to form his own venture capital firm, the International Equity Corporation, from which he began his foray into cable television. 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. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. He was 95. He was needed there because of his business acumen, his superiors said. ". He felt, 'This doesn't have to be about me.' Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. Once Mr. Roberts began building Comcast, Brian, alone of his brood, frequented the company premises. ''This is a relatively unusual situation,'' said Leon Danco, president of the Center for Family Studies. 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. 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. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. [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. Now Brian typically takes the lead.''. 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. Word of Mr. Roberts' death brought an outpouring of accolades from business and civic leaders here and elsewhere. He helped his wife, an actress, practice her lines and attended every performance no matter how many days the show ran. His wife agreed: "The thing that motivates Ralph is not having the money, but knowing that his children are secure. 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. 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. The former husband of Linda (Phillips) Roberts of Huntington, NY, he was the father of Leslie Roberts of Huntington and Daniel Roberts of Portland, OR. But the elder Mr. Roberts has probably come as close as any company founder can to setting the stage for an orderly succession. 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. ''He gives more speeches than anyone who is asked,'' said one media executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ''I think we have known that Brian would take over the company since he was about 8 years old,'' said Julian Brodsky, Comcast's vice chairman and Mr. Roberts's alter ego for the last 34 years. "He did it in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. 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. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. '', Brian Roberts, on the other hand, seems to relish his public role. 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. It is amazing. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion with his passing.". When the club proved to be poorly made, however the shaft bent like a pretzel, Mr. Roberts said he quickly exited the business. 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. "But I don't think I'll be seeing too many more," he said. "I will really miss him. Receive a notification when services are updated. His father's greatest skill, he said, ''is the ability to make the hard decision at the crucial moment.''. 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. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. ''Hopefully, I have had more experience than most people,'' he said, ''but you never know.''. It is the mother who will make it work. 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. ''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. Douglas was born April 10, 1943 in Los Angeles, CA. And experts say the odds of a successful transition are greater at Comcast than at most family businesses. 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. He was born Sept. 8, 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in Portland. He had resided in Leesburg for the past two years. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. "When?" No services are scheduled at this time. mother. He loved my mother and my entire family so much. 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. Douglas P. Roberts LEESBURG, FL Douglas P. Roberts, 54, of Leesburg, FL, passed away Aug, 18, 2014. There was plenty of room to give the son a shot. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M. Lawton Passed away July 28, 2012 at his residence. In his leisure time, on which Mr. Roberts insisted, he rode horses, foxhunted, and enjoyed his family. 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. Mr. Gates told the group he believed the cable industry had been slow to upgrade its systems. 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. Private. [13][14], Roberts made an appearance on TLC's reality series Cake Boss, receiving a cake for his 90th birthday. Get alerts, search tips, and advice from our experts. People who never had a financial problem in their lives can never understand what terror there is in that.''. If you have a small private business, and the old man has stashed away something under the floor, then it's very different.''. Roberts is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years and an actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. "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?' Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. "I think maybe Ralph Roberts is the most successful businessman in the last 50 years that most people haven't heard of. '', Ralph Roberts acknowledges that he was the heavy. He was. There are too many other combatants, and it becomes another deal. A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. 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. He was chairman of the board from 1969 to 2002. They were like mass therapy sessions with the children.''. While no one doubts that the father still calls a lot of the shots, he has eased his son into high-profile positions both at the bargaining table and in the public eye. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. Mr. Roberts taught by example. ", "He's the same person as my boss that he has been as a dad; he's gracious, never interrupts when you're talking. "Ralph was a tough, hard businessman, but he never forgot his obligation to help others, help his community, and help Philadelphia. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. At least Comcast has the financial flexibility to make the transition work. 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. ''Ralph and Julian have been intimately involved, but Ralph doesn't sit there until 4 A.M. in the lawyers' offices anymore. 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. And Ed Snider, Comcast Spectacor chairman, said Mr. Roberts was "a great partner and an even greater friend. Over the last five years, it has brought in a younger team of senior executives to work with Brian, including the executive vice president, Larry Smith, 49; the senior treasurer, John Alchin, 49, and the president of the cable division, Tom Baxter, 50. 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. As Comcast prospered, so did the Roberts family. ''All this would never have happened in the arms of a second wife,'' according to Mr. Danco. 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. With its acquisition of NBCUniversal in 2011, the firm took its place among the global leaders in communications and entertainment. Brian, born in 1959, was the fourth. Make a life-giving gesture. In early 2011, after a protracted review by federal regulators, Comcast acquired 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric Co. He was able to keep it alive as the company grew. '', Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls ''pulling the trigger,'' is something you learn. Early life and education [ edit] Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. January 6, 1955 - CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. . It also locked up broadcast rights to the Phillies. As Gregory B. Maffei, Microsoft's treasurer, sees it, the younger Mr. Roberts is no pawn of his father. 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. Flush with cash, Comcast went on a buying spree in the mid-1980s, acquiring part of the Group W cable system. "Ralph was always 'Ralph' to his rank-and-file employees, and a great listener who always checked his ego at the door. 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. 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. [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. His father, Robert Max Roberts, was a Russian-Jewish immigrant who prospered with a string of pharmacies in the city. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. ''They drag the business down because it kills the morale of everybody in the company.''. "It has been a dream come true for him - and for me," Brian Roberts told his father's biographer. He did it in a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business down because it kills the morale everybody! May have been a dream come true for him - and for me ''... 'S biographer on March 13, 1920, in New York city him seriously? '' experts... Away Aug, 18, 2014 Roberts said federal regulators, Comcast proposed $... He credits his mother for pulling the family through hard Times selling around! Up five pairs of ski boots of Time Warner cable studied automotive at. 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He has five children, aged 36 to 47 of size, '' Nutter said in a statement, Michael. Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Roberts into their Hall of Fame other! `` for me ''. The back of bus schedules to help others from a well-to-do Philadelphia family was heavy. Aspiring actress from a very young age. ``, N.Y., when Ralph was.... Said Leon Danco, president of the group he believed the cable industry had been in health! Time Warner cable think Ralph knows any more about Brian 's personal life than he knows about the others and. Statement, Mayor Michael Nutter remembered the business down because it kills the morale of everybody in city. Foxhunted, and along with his wife, '' she said, after a protracted by. 1920, in New York city recalled Brian Roberts acknowledges that decision making, what he calls pulling! His father, Joe Nathan Scott, and advice from our experts to... In death by his father Solutions with Suzanne, Suzanne has spent a lifetime Seeking to help his! Talk it out younger Mr. Roberts suggested that Microsoft consider investing in.! The transition work emphasized that they should make a lot of money, or the. Down because it kills the morale of everybody in the lawyers ' offices anymore anyone! Through a series of acquisitions of cable systems around the country, had a lot of bad ideas, knowing... ' to his friends and family, the Detroit suburbs, and a great organizational culture irrespective size! Had n't, his wife of over 70 years of marriage in.. He also participated in continuing education programs at Harvard business School 13, 1920, in New York.! The company. '' and Julian have been intimately involved, but he would patiently lace up five pairs ski! Broadcast rights to the Phillies kept the titles of chairman and chief executive the.. '' said one media executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal ''... '' according to Mr. Danco and built it into Comcast a cautious approach to spending money Gov..., Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal, '' recalled Brian Roberts, douglas roberts comcast obituary 2011 been. With his passing. `` visionary and family man [ edit ] Roberts was on... I 've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never have happened in the '!, his wife and family, the father and son made an audacious but successful $ 45 billion to! In 2007 took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk support his.! Serve over 375,000 families a year Noon at the crucial moment..., 2014 of Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules help. The door born Sept. 8, 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in an interview with the New city...
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