Bob was born in London, Ontario to Tom and Shirley Parkinson. He has an older sister Debbie Blackie and younger brother Terry Parkinson with wife Margaret. His father served in the Navy so the family was stationed throughout Canada and England when Bob was very young. The majority of his childhood, however, was spent in Victoria, B.C. This is where Bob met his wife Joyce Parkinson and shortly thereafter they moved to Toronto, Ontario where they started their manufacturing company, Oval Framecraft. They then moved to Cambridge, ON where they had three daughters Kirby, Shelby, and Nadine. Bob had many passions and hobbies. The family moved to Paris, ON in 2005 where Bob spent much of his time renovating their house. They also own a cottage in the Muskoka area where Bob would spend much of his summers renovating it. He enjoyed fishing, reading, building, and loved his many pets owned throughout his life. Bob was very loved by his family and many friends.