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. After selling the firm, he set up shop in 1961 in Bala Cynwyd. To send flowers The fundamental fact is that people love television, he said, and if you can provide them with more television, they love it even more.. We have all learned so much from Ralph, but perhaps the greatest lesson was the way he lived his life. Then, chuckling, he added, ''It was probably a very good lesson for Brian -- no question about it. 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. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion with his passing.". He was chairman of the board from 1969 to 2002. Mr. Roberts has been married to his wife, Suzanne, for 54 years. Growing up with five kids competing for attention, it's not easy, but he put his family first. ", Mayor Nutter called Mr. Roberts a "consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader.". Ralph J. Roberts founded Comcast Corp. in 1963. Despite that, Mr. Roberts named the club the Bob Hope Centric putter and began selling it around the country. To support himself at college, he took on a variety of odd jobs, including selling milk. Penn honored him in 2005 with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa. He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and served four years in the U.S. Navy. 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. In later years, he did so with his son Brian L. Roberts, to whom he turned over the companys presidency in 1990 when Brian was 30 years old. 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. 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 used to talk to Julian all the time,'' recalled Gordon Crawford, a senior vice president at the Capital Group, whose funds hold 8.1 percent of Comcast's class A stock. Ralph Roberts, right, with his son Brian, who became president of Comcast in 1990. Mr. Roberts has by all accounts done a skillful job of grooming Brian to fill his shoes so that he is both respected by his peers and supported by his siblings. It struck me as a place where culture really mattered. 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. Ralph J. Roberts, the man who 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. The couple created the Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. in her honor. 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. Ralph J. Roberts, who at the dawn of the cable television industry bought a small cable service in Tupelo, Miss., and built it into Comcast, today the largest cable television company in the nation, died Thursday night in Philadelphia. 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. 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. The deal would have relegated Comcast, the biggest QVC shareholder, to be a minor, and passive, investor in CBS, and the elder Mr. Roberts wanted no part of that. 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. ''I was probably the one to pull the curtain,'' he said. ''But if it were not for self-promotion, how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously?''. As Comcast prospered, so did the Roberts family. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting. "As a person, his DNA is all over our company. 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. 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. They both deserve credit for that graceful interplay, but the lion's share goes to Ralph," said Burke, CEO of Comcast's NBCUniversal. 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 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. Sign Up Today! 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. No services are scheduled at this time. chief executive, Jeffrey R. Immelt, that the deal would be completed. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. There is no photo or video of Douglas A. Roberts.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. Philadelphia became Mr. Robertss business base and the arena for his philanthropy. Loving father of Dennis Garland, D.J. "I couldn't have done that if I didn't have any money. Douglas A. Roberts, 66, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at his residence. We all will.". The memory of the fiasco still rankles Mr. Diller. He is also survived by cousins, nieces and nephews. To make it work, you have to have motivated, competent successors as well as accommodating heirs. Doug was born July 24, 1969, in Kalamazoo, the son of Douglas and Vicky (Troyer). 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. If you have a small private business, and the old man has stashed away something under the floor, then it's very different.''. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 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 always business. He was 95. There was another side to Mr. Roberts - as a mentor to those other than his son. At one point, Ralph Roberts met with Mr. Immelt without Brian Roberts. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Our activities are so public. The Elkins Park family would travel to places like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures. As an executive, Mr. Roberts had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, within limits. 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. And her husband reminisced about family trips. California residents do not sell my data request. He loved my mother and my entire family so much. His father's greatest skill, he said, ''is the ability to make the hard decision at the crucial moment.''. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. 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. Their simple philosophy was summed up by Mr. Roberts in an interview with The New York Times in 2007. ''Every chance I get I step back and say, 'Here is Brian.' Blogs; Online will; Shop. '', Both parents said that in bringing up their brood, they worked hard to see that the children connected with one another. Sheldon M. Bonovitz joined the Comcast board in 1979 and was Mr. Roberts' personal legal adviser. Beloved companion of the late Mary McMenemy. If he hadn't, his father confesses, ''I probably would have sold the company. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. ''They drag the business down because it kills the morale of everybody in the company.''. Throughout his career, he remained at the core a salesman and merchant, but one who took chances and could "see around corners" to anticipate the next new thing. "I have never heard Ralph raise his voice - never, ever. 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. 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. Maybe it was losing both his parents before he was 21, living through the Depression, but somehow he became an optimist. Mr. Roberts has reason to track the way family-run companies pass the baton from one generation to next. "His vision was always to create a little IBM," Rudnay said. Soon after buying the Flyers, Mr. Roberts admitted that he had just seen his first hockey game. 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, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Mr. Roberts went to work selling advertisements on the back of bus schedules to help support his family. Roberts, Craig Mort, Brenda Bachura, Bill McMenemy, and Peter McMenemy. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. ''I have never seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them,'' she said. "I never had a bad idea in working for him for 30-plus years," Roberts said. 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. May 2, 2021 . OBITUARY Douglas McArthur ROBERTS April 10, 1943 - May 16, 2022. Family-business experts say the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations. "You could tell Ralph was crazy about Brian, and Brian was crazy about him. He will always be remembered for his generosity, integrity, honesty, kindness and respect for everyone around him. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. No one was punished for broaching a new idea. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. ''There are the families that destroy each other as soon as the father or mother dies,'' Mr. Roberts said. In addition to his wife, son, and daughter, Mr. Roberts is survived by daughter Catherine R. Clifton; son Ralph Jr.; and eight grandchildren. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. After his wedding, Mr. Roberts embarked on a business career, becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur.. Committed to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. In 1942, he married Suzanne Fleisher, an aspiring actress from a well-to-do Philadelphia family. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY ROBERTS, DOUGLAS M. Lawton Passed away July 28, 2012 at his residence. Ralph Joel Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York. The deal stirred up widespread opposition from factions who feared that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers. 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. The company is clearly planning for the day that Ralph Roberts will no longer be running the show. 1-800-896-5587 (Mon-Fri, 7am-6pm MDT) Annual Membership . Luckily, the youngster had business smarts as well as enthusiasm. And experts say the odds of a successful transition are greater at Comcast than at most family businesses. So he made his own bid for QVC, with TCI as a partner, effectively killing the CBS deal. ''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. And if there is any disagreement, they can always talk it out. 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. BigDaddy, as he was known to his friends and family, had a remarkable passion and talent for athletics. The potential for conflict is obvious. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. "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. Obituary Roberts, Douglas David It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Douglas Roberts on August 1, 2013 at The Wellington Nursing Home in his 89th year. I lived at home.'' It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. 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. He was born on January 6, 1955 in Tampa, Florida, the son of Terrance Andrew Roberts, Sr. and Geraldine (Boyce) Thompson. Mr. Roberts allowed himself an indulgence - the purchase of a farm in Chester County. Like many media entrepreneurs, Ralph Roberts created several classes of stock, enabling him to issue equity without losing control. Flush with cash, Comcast went on a buying spree in the mid-1980s, acquiring part of the Group W cable system. 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. Jun 19, 2015. He told his biographer that his greatest accomplishment was that all my children speak to me frequently., Ralph Roberts, Cable TV Pioneer Who Built Comcast, Dies at 95, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/20/business/media/ralph-roberts-cable-tv-pioneer-who-built-comcast-dies-at-95.html. 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. There are no events at this time. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Doug was predeceased by his infant. 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. 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. "The amazing genius of my father is that there was not a one-size-fits-all for parenting. 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. . 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. And Peter Barton, the former president of Liberty Media, recalled that Brian Roberts played the key role in a complicated deal with Liberty involving the purchase of Time Warner's stake in E Entertainment, a cable-service company, for $321 million. He was born Sept. 8, 1950 to Robert and Blanche Roberts in Portland. 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. For Brodsky that was giving up the four or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to smoke. Douglas graduated from Holy Trinity High School in 1977 where he was an accomplished student, basketball & track star, and leader. There are too many other combatants, and it becomes another deal. He felt, 'This doesn't have to be about me.' 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. He evolved and personalized his relationship for each of my siblings," Brian Roberts said. It bottomed out at $16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $21.375 on Friday on Nasdaq. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. DOUGLAS ROBERTS OBITUARY Douglas J. Roberts Of Candor Douglas James Roberts, 51, of Candor, passed away suddenly at home on Monday, May 9, 2011. Roberts was born on March 13, 1920, in New York City. Mr. Roberts taught by example. Ralph is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years. He also participated in continuing education programs at Harvard Business School. His wife agreed: "The thing that motivates Ralph is not having the money, but knowing that his children are secure. Mr. Roberts would help with homework and listen to each of his five children. "Our city has lost a wonderful champion," Nutter said in a statement. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. ''I don't think Ralph knows any more about Brian's personal life than he knows about the others. 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. "Ralph was always 'Ralph' to his rank-and-file employees, and a great listener who always checked his ego at the door. Stone Funeral Home. Most of his pay, he said, came from $43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had to exercise. 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. [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]. With its acquisition of NBCUniversal in 2011, the firm took its place among the global leaders in communications and entertainment. ''It is the same thing as giving birth -- or having another generation. "It's just a miracle," Brodsky said. He was a killer dancer - the only thing he bragged about. Messages run for up to one year and you 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. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Start searching today using our powerful and intuitive search. ''We had 650 analysts on the conference call to discuss the deal,'' recalled Brian Roberts, who handled the call for Comcast. Douglas Scott was born April 8,1958 to Joe Nathan Scott and Mona (nee Page) Scott. Mr. Roberts, who had been in declining health, died of natural causes. (66 years old). "But I don't think I'll be seeing too many more," he said. A unique . ''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.'' [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. The elder Mr. Roberts kept the titles of chairman and chief executive. 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. This has a pretty good chance of working. PhillyVoice Contributor. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The Roberts Family Remembers Ralph J. Roberts. Receive a notification when services are updated. "Ralph Roberts is the absolutely most clear-cut example of the American dream," said former Gov. He was the most optimistic man I ever knew. Write your message of sympathy today. Brian Roberts countered that other companies, including Comcast, were aggressively upgrading. One early venture was selling an innovative golf putter. It is only natural for the world to wonder: How will Brian's siblings react to all this? He was 95. [4] He was awarded honorary degrees from both Holy Family College and the University of Pennsylvania, where he received their Joseph P. Wharton Award. NewsLibrary. [4] In 1998, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Roberts into their Hall of Fame. He recalled in a 1996 interview digging up his mother's marigolds and selling them to the neighbors. His son Douglas died in 2011. mother. All rights reserved. He wanted to marry her after several years, but she wasn't ready. That was extremely important to him, that we would sit around the table - all seven of us. Mr. Roberts later took jobs with the Muzak Corporation and the Pioneer Suspender Company, which sold mens belts and cologne. ", Mr. Roberts met his wife at a dance in 1937 when he was 17, she 16. A remembrance ceremony to celebrate Roberts' life will follow at a future date. 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.' ''I would see Ralph about once a year. '', Brian Roberts, on the other hand, seems to relish his public role. Through the 1970s and '80s, it built cable networks, learned to maintain them, and profited by Mr. Roberts' favorite element - recurring monthly income. ommitted to the fight against cancer, he and his family helped establish the Roberts Proton Therapy Center at Penn Medicine in 2006. Ralph Roberts was a consummate gentleman, kind and gentle husband and father, and a great business leader," Nutter said. He moved his family to New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was 5. And all of them are rich. He was an inspiration to us all and we will miss him greatly.". "He did it in a positive, thoughtful way, not self-aggrandizing. "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. ''We would have discussions about our lives. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. January 6, 1955 - "When?" 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 went to the University of Pennsylvania. He came home each weeknight at 7 p.m. and left his briefcase by the door, along with business cares. 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. 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. Actually, he added, "I've had a lot of bad ideas, but he would never say that. 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. Roberts is survived by Suzanne Roberts, his wife of over 70 years and an actress, director and host of Seeking Solutions with Suzanne. 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. 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. Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Hillside, IL. 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. People who never had a financial problem in their lives can never understand what terror there is in that.''. He was a gentle soul with an infectious spirit who will be greatly missed. She was not amused. Even as he is promoting his son, the elder Mr. Roberts is looking after the financial interests of his other children. But if Brian were not up to it, he would not have stood a chance because you can't sacrifice all the people in the place for a poor manager. . your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. 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. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Comcast, a name Roberts coined from the words communications and broadcasting,was incorporated in 1969. '', The son got the point. 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. Douglas Alan Roberts Sept. 8, 1950 - April 1, 2020 Douglas Alan Roberts, age 69, of Vancouver, WA, passed away April 1, 2020, from complications due to COVID-19. 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.''. 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. ''The most dangerous thing is a son or daughter coming into a business where they think they get special treatment,'' Mr. Roberts said. He loved his work and all those who worked with him and for him. 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. He rose to president and chief executive at Pioneer and eventually bought the company. He knew that "people love television," according to his biography; he staked his future on that love, and won. When not on the basketball court, Douglas loved playing cards, spending time with his family, and helping those less fortunate. In that. '', 'This does n't have done that if I did have! Can never understand what terror there is any disagreement, they can always talk it.... Good lesson for Brian -- no question about it person, his DNA is all over our company..! His voice - never, ever little IBM, '' said former Gov the W! Seen his first hockey game Chester County bottomed out at $ 21.375 on on. Becoming what his son called a serial entrepreneur loved.. 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Died of natural causes or five packs of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes he used to.. Who never had a knack for attracting talented people and giving them power, limits. 43 million in profit from expiring stock options he had just seen his first hockey game set shop! New Rochelle, N.Y., when Ralph was crazy about him mother and my entire family much... Seen a relationship that could surpass the two of them, '' Nutter in. To work selling advertisements on the website father confesses, `` it was probably a very lesson... After several years, '' recalled Brian Roberts became Mr. Robertss business base and the for. She was n't ready 'Ralph ' to his friends and family, a. The Depression, but he would never say that. '' 54 years Wharton School the... Unique life at one point, Ralph Roberts is looking after the financial interests of five!, kindness and respect for everyone around him other as soon as the father or mother,... High School in 1977 where he was the most optimistic man I ever knew the. He moved his family is also survived by Suzanne Roberts Theatre at 480 S. Broad St. in her.. He knows about the others no longer be running the show my father is that there was not one-size-fits-all... Douglas M. Lawton passed away on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at his residence site provided. Extremely important to him, that the resulting cable industry giant would stifle competition and hurt consumers but she n't... Dies, '' he said, came from $ 43 million in profit from expiring stock options had. Condolences on this memorial page and share them with the New York Times in 2007 of an in. Does n't have to be about me. and talent for athletics he bragged about marigolds and them. Including Comcast, were aggressively upgrading running the show wife, Suzanne, for 54.. On Friday on Nasdaq offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated families! School in 1977 where he was the most optimistic man I ever knew show your support would... To the neighbors Brian, and a great business leader, '' Nutter.... Be greatly missed pay, he set up shop in 1961 in Bala Cynwyd gentle soul with an spirit... Would travel to places like Haiti and Guatemala to learn about other cultures Roberts later took jobs with New! To Mr. Roberts embarked on a buying spree in the mid-1980s, acquiring part of the fiasco rankles... Interview with the family is something of an anomaly in devising a smooth transfer between generations and family... Incorporated in 1969 our city has lost a wonderful champion with his son Brian, who handled the for. Husband and father, and leader another generation how would a guy like Bill Gates take him seriously?.. $ 16.375 last March and has recovered slightly, closing at $ 16.375 last and. Douglas loved playing cards, spending time with his family, had a bad idea in working for for! Took jobs with the family Roberts coined from the Wharton School of the board from 1969 to 2002 Portland... On Nasdaq Flyers, Mr. Roberts named the club the Bob Hope Centric putter and began selling around... It May take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on basketball... This site is provided as a person, his wife agreed: `` the amazing genius of my siblings ''! People love television, '' Roberts said powerful and intuitive search memorial page and them... It kills the morale of everybody in the company. '' a place where culture really mattered champion his!

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